True Lies
by JunaBlossom
Summary: A thin line tells love and hate apart, truth and lies, happiness and sadness. Sacrifices to save the ones you love. Hurt yourself to gain the happiness you long for.  So truth are lies, lies are truth? Whatever will be is unknown. It hurt to find out. In the end, it was only a true lie that started all of this.  A Naruto and Sakura story, many other parings. Read & Review.
1. Chapter 01

**Summary**: [Only a thin line tells love and hate apart, truth and lies, happiness and sadness. Sacrifices are made to save the ones you love. Sometimes you have to hurt yourself to gain the happiness you long for. It is your job to make the line thicker between these so alike yet so different feelings. In the end, it was only a true lie that started all of this.]

**Rating**: [M16+/18, Pregnancy, not a kids story!]

**Warnings**: [Character death! Rape possible, sexual content. OOCnes. Characters are adults.]

**Characters/Pairings**: To many, be surprised. Main Naruto & Sakura.

**Jutsu**:

Sasukes Chidori Sharp Spear: Chidori Eisō: Sasuke forms the original Chidori into a spear or blade-shape, adapting it for mid-range attacks with a maximum range of about five metres.

Tobis Jutsu/Madara: Jikūkan Idō: Tobi's Space–Time Migration technique, which is originated in his right eye, allows him to teleport himself or anything he touches to another location or a pocket dimension; the latter of which is implied to be inescapable.**  
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><p><strong>Chapter 01<strong>

_**If I am what I have and if I lose what I have, who then am I?  
>- Erich Fromm<strong>_

The water was running as the last shaving foam washing away. To the left was a bathtub with a dull yellow curtain, the hem green and black from mould; the toilet on the left was not looking much better. The green ceramic tile on the floor fractured, the white ones on the wall were looking pretty much the same. The mirror above the sink was cracked in the left top corner and an irritating buzzing sound from the light bulb which didn't really works. Sometimes the room was lit for a minute and the buzzing started again. A man was standing in front of the sink facing the mirror.

With his hands on both sides of the sink supporting him; he stared at the reflection in the mirror. The face that stared back up at him didn't look familiar he knew it was him.

Blue tired eyes looked back at him, the shadowed blond hair, the whisker marks on his cheeks. His tan skin; his shoulders and nose, red with sunburn.

He grunted softly, narrowing his eyes on the spot of his cheek. He managed to shave without cutting his head off, only a small trial of blood reminded him that sneezing and shaving at the same time wasn't a good idea at all.

His hand turned off the running water, grabbing the towel to move it across his face. He wanted to shower, but with the mould curtain to his left he had decided against it. A dip in the small river he would cross tomorrow will do just fine. And let himself fall on the old mattress which will be his bed for the night, at least the bed had clean sheets and not mouldy ones. With a groan he flipped over onto his back, letting the fan above him cool his naked frame down. He hadn't bothering to get dressed because of the heat of the night; it was awfully hot and humid, far too hot for his liking. He just stared at the ceiling. The last couple of years had gone by fast, in a way and yet slow in another way and the thought that he was running away would never leave him. In his mind, this was the best for him, after everything that happened. After all he endured, he needed space; space to grow up and just be himself for once. He remembered his last major fight like it was yesterday. The thought was burned into his body and his mind… and it scared him.

… _As the morning dawn emerged, the horizon turned into a warm orange. A thin layer of morning mist was lingering above the land, hiding the blood drenched ground underneath it. Many lives had been lost; all victims of the stupid idea of revenge and hate. As the first sunrays touched the land, it started washing away the thick, bloody air of the night after another night full of fights, bloodshed and death._

_His breathing was shallow, his lungs hurt as he held his pain stricken side with his good arm; the other one hanging on his side. He had used his Fūton: Rasen Shuriken, twice without having the time to throw it or escape from the blast and his injured right arm could not keep up anymore. Broken ribs were poking him in the inside, His torso was full of cuts and his left ankle was left swollen.. Blood dripped from his wounds; he had got some bad punches and his chakra was on its last stand. Behind him, many dead bodies of his opponent lay; to his side a beaten up person, painfully defeated to its misery. Naruto wanted to get his hands on Sasuke but that bastard on the ground didn't let him. _

_He had said that he'd throw Sasuke at the blond for him? Did it happen? No! _

_Sasuke had been fighting Kakashi; well that was what was happening when Naruto last checked. He hoped his Sensei wasn't down… and even more, he hoped that he was still alive. He hoped that Sakura was save now._

_Why did Madara have to laugh in his face? Naruto was getting more irritated than he needed to. Why did he have to waste his chakra on these already once dead people? Why?_

_He had taken down Akatsuki members; he had survived while the enemy had been brought down. However, the one here, with the mask, was one of his hardest. He knew that if he was fighting Sasuke, the battle could be even uglier than this one._

_As far as he knew, Sasuke wanted to rip Kakashi apart and nearly did too, but his female teammate had saved the day, in a way. However, that aside… the night was over; the fight felt like it was coming to an end._

"_You are a rebellious one" Naruto froze at hearing Madara's tired out breath again. He spun around to face the apparently not beaten up masked man who was clutching one of his deeper wounds. _

"_Natural" Naruto hissed as his body flickered back from his glowing Kyubi chakra back to his normal state. He was done for if this fight didn't end soon. He cursed under his breath._

"_You are out of chakra" Madara concluded as he pulled himself off the ground._

"_I'm not the only one" Naruto replied, still standing his ground._

"_You are right" Today was not a win or a loss of this war however, them retreating, was a win in the end. Naruto's eyes narrowed when Sasuke landed next to Madara, he started violently coughing as he landed; blood splattered onto the dirt. Sakura must have got a good punch onto him; in addition, his Sensei did the rest to him. Naruto admitted that much about Sakura; even with all her feelings for the dark haired boy, she would punch the living daylights out of him to save a friend._

_Sasuke groaned; his dark eyes looked grey as he tried to focus on Naruto._

"_I see…." Naruto finally said. Sasuke frowned at the unexpected remark. "We will come back" Naruto's icy eyes made Madara chuckle._

"_We let you know little fox" He Replied as both last living Uchiha vanished via Jikūkan Idō._

_Naruto frowned as he breathed out, his eyes on the sky. He felt beaten, sad, angry, however, in the end only tired. The Kyubi's charka was still burning in his system. He was still able to use it but at the moment he didn't know what more tolls it would take to his body. He already knew that using the Kyubi's chakra would hurt his system but he needed to get used to it. _

"_So tired" he said, catching the beautiful sunrise. A bird flew above him, whistling its musical tune as Naruto's world stained into black, his unconscious mind replaying the events from the previous nights…_

…Naruto sighed, not liking the thoughts he was recalling. He dragged one arm over his eyes, shutting out the world. He needed some sleep to refill his chakra resources up for the long travel tomorrow. He needed to escape his thoughts for a few hours but he knew already that something else will display in his dreams tonight.

Painful. Again and again. Tutoring him with his feelings of love.

He missed his home.

He missed his friends.

And he missed her the most.

The one who tortured his heart and soul. The one who let his heart flutter and bleed at the same time.

How he wished with him growing up, with the increasing knowledge that he would grow out of her. But he failed miserably. He failed in all ways possible. Even after years apart, his feeling did not change a bit. No lie he told back then could cover this up. He was still in love with Sakura. He loved her green eyes. The pale skin…

"_Naruto" she breathed out her hand reaching out to caressing his cheek. Her green eyes glowed in the near non existing light of the night. He leaned forward touching her lips softly, trying to find out what she was liked and how she tasted. His tongue licked her lips and she responded sweetly to him, exploring the art of tongue kissing. His hands wander up and down her sides, touching her, playing. She hummed noises out he liked to hear, while leaving kisses and a wet trial on her neck. He heard himself groan as her hand touched him. The feeling was pure pleasure and over whelming. It was causing him all of his willpower not to let go of his hovering position over her._

"_St…" He moaned "...op" it was hard to talk; his brain felt like it had shut down some time ago. He lowered himself on her, breathing hard and looked in her glowing eyes. They were filled with something that let pleasure run over his body. His legs slowly took her prisoner; one hand was holding Sakura's hand above her head, the other holding himself up. Painfully slow, he guided himself with her legs, pushing down. A small whimper reached his ears and he kissed the small tear away. His whole frame was stiff, demanding movement._

"_Hmm hmm" she sighed softly. "Move" she breathed out, he did; at first, slowly though. After earning a moan from her, she suddenly thrusted herself up against him which causing him some unexpected pleasure; his wants over through his mind and he forgot how to be slow. He instinctively thrust into her rewarding them both again. The cycle of pleasure had them both in a state of moans and gasps. He was lost in pleasure, that same was happening to her but she was reaching her limit, screaming his name muffled in his shoulder and he was done for too…_

…When he awoke from his slumber, a scowl glued onto his face. Dawn was near. Naruto's breath was somewhat hitched and his body was sweaty. He had fallen asleep before he had known it and awoke just the same as the many other times like this in the morning. It was very same dream he had had for many years. His hand ran through his long strains. He didn't know if he should applaud at his mind to have worked out that perfect fantasy with all the detail work, or frown that he had to wake up like that again. He didn't know. A sigh was heard throughout the motel. He only wished that this dream would have been reality and not only a delusion of his desire for her.

oooo

He was standing there, completely still in front of the memorial stone. His arm holding his left side, dry blood under his fingertips, 'At least it had stopped bleeding throughout the night', he thought; his frame not noticeable in the last moments of the night.

Black pants, black sleeveless shirt.

A silver chest protector.

A sword on his back.

Half of his face hidden under a cloth mask.

In his free hand, a white and red Anbu mask

His upper arm showed the mark of his true status.

He hated the job, he felt like losing to the dark side of a Ninja, but the work needed to be done. Konoha needed him there and he did his job well, even after so many years of not of being in the Black Ops Anbu division. After his failure with Sasuke he needed to prepare for the next encounter, well, help Konoha for the next encounter; help them survive. He thought back to the Sasuke from years ago…

_"No lecturing this time?" Sasuke mocked his old Sensei._

_Kakashi narrowed his eyes, his Sharingan uncovered and activated. His body already was in battle stance. "You won't listen anyway" the Copy Ninja breathed out._

Sasuke unsheathed his Katana slowly, _his red eyes never losing sight of Kakashi; their battle was on. They clashed together, blocking the attacks of each other, than slithering away from each other some distance, only to clash again. The clashing of metal echoed through the air. Kakashi's hand connected with the boy, a punch in the gut, but Sasuke managed to make a wound with is __Chidori Eisō__. The shadow clone disappeared in an explosion of smoke. It was to be expected._

"_Tsss" Sasuke breathed. His expression showed no surprised. A few hand seals followed and Sasuke let his thunder element roll over the floor lurking out the hiding real Kakashi._

_The silver haired man jumped in time away and landed gracefully after the crackling vanished. He should have known, Kakashi told himself. He was a calculated fighter and Sasuke was too. Therefore, it could go on for hours like this until his or Sasuke's chakra fades out. Neither man wanted that. Moreover, Kakashi will make sure his former pupil will be dead when he is finished with him. However, he was aware that Sasuke had just about the same idea in his head about him. _

_They blocked each other's attacks again. Jumping away, blocking, sliding to the left or right. His resources were burning down. Sasuke's were doing the same as well._

_Why did Kakashi have go through so many opponents to get his hands on Sasuke. With full resources, the win would be easier. Again more punches followed._

"_Hmpf" He heard, Sasuke whiped some blood from his lip. At least he touched him but he had been hurt as well, both were panting. He needed to end it soon; he would never allow Sasuke to get to Naruto. He should never have the memory of killing his friend. Kakashi would take the burden and add it to all ones he already has. It will not matter to him, he was used to it, and he will handle it and much better than Naruto would._

_A giant fireball rolled his way, he jumped, a Kunai flew by him; Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw the tag. The paper bomb exploded. Kakashi's ears started to ring, his vision blurred for a moment as well; he landed hard. He panted, trying to focus his senses and to locate where his opponent was. However, his senses didn't recover for at least ten seconds._

"_Time to die" Sasuke was in front of him, his Katana high above his head ready for a nice clean cut into two._

"_YOU WON`T" A woman's voice shouted as the ground beneath them grumbled to pieces, both ninja were about to jump away. Sasuke's sharingan caught the pink hair of his ex-teammate. With green eyes filled with fury and her body battered and bloody. Sasuke's opponent landed with a loud thud near Sakura._

_Kakashi winced; he cursed her being there but also thanked her at the same time._

"_Not yet" She hissed back at him as she put her hand above his ribcage before starting to use some of her healing chakra. The Copy Ninja stayed alert but a bit disorientated. He used the time to catch his breath._

"_He will kill you" Kakashi hissed out angry with her being here and himself in such a weak state, he won't be able to make sure nothing happened to her._

_She didn't reply. It wasn't like she didn't know it yet but it was a big possibility of being killed by the hand of her old teammate._

_Kakashi's arm shot up, pushing Sakura away as his Kunai connected with the Katana. Their red eyes narrowed from Kakashi to Sakura and back. Kakashi still half-sitting thought about the next move. _

"_Bastard" Sakura muttered helping herself up. "Evil Bastard" she yelled to Sasuke who had a smirk on his face._

"_Annoying bitch" he said to her. Kakashi used the small distraction and let his fist punch him, but it was caught. The fighting had started again, punches, sounds of the blades clashing than the ground beneath some grumbled, both ninja jumped. This time Kakashi got a hold of Sasuke in the air, wilding him down. It was not a Shadow Clone Sasuke quickly found out as they landed with a loud thud. A red and pink flash moved into Sasuke direction. Sakura's hand glowing blue as she sent a punch to the motionless body._

_Sasuke's eyes went wide as the fist connected with him; he didn't have enough time to dodge completely as she got his left side. He winced as he jumped to the opposite side of the field trying to get some distance between them. He held his side. He could feel at least three ribs broken._

'_**Don't let her hit you again!**' He told himself. As if that would happen again, was his second thought._

_Now he knew her punches were deadly, she was not useless anymore; though Sasuke would never admit the truth._

"_Nice" Kakashi praised the girl and got his stance on front of her. "-But you still got to get your ass out of here" he ordered but she did not moved an inch._

"_You wish" she said. Kakashi knew that with her help the two still wouldn't be able to win the fight._

"_Find Naruto" He ordered "And bring him here" His voice stern and stoic. "I won't last much longer" He added above a whisper_

_The clenching of her hands was heard, the leather gloves gave it away._

"_Fine…" she said after a while and made slowly some steps backwards. Her eyes never leaving Sasuke's chest. She had learned over the years to never look in the eyes of an Uchiha and she followed the set principals. Nevertheless, it was hard. _

"_Go now" Kakashi commanded; she leaped away, leaving the Sharingan Users to themselves…_

The fight went on forever; it had felt like hours to the tired and injured Kakashi. He shifted a bit in front of the memorial stone still not completely back into the present. The stone had his friend's names engraved in it and more than once had he thought, that he would be one of them. Not today, not tomorrow but hopefully in some years, well that's what he thought. Sometimes he had also thought it was only luck that saved him the day he had encountered Sasuke…

_Kakashi leaned on the wall for support. The sun let the rays wander above him. His body hurt like hell. His left eye had started to cry bloody tears a while ago. The only chakra left was a tiny flicker, the only thing keeping him conscious. Sasuke had vanished with an angry grimace on his face not too long ago. First he felt relieved but then. He had failed to stop Sasuke, he wished he could though but there will always be a next time. There will be a next time! Moreover, maybe… he should let Naruto handle Sasuke, well, that's what Kakashi was thinking. The little bastard will grow ever more powerful. Sasuke had already surpassed Kakashi however it was only enough to win the battle. The Copy Ninja had problems to keep up with him; only because of the techniques that Sasuke used needed a good amount of chakra that he was able to survive the encounter. He was the one with years of knowing, the knowledge of surviving a war to make wise decisions and survive. Sasuke was a calculated one, but to bolded with his hate; this had been his advantage in this battle. He looked down at himself, he was pretty beaten up. He let groan of pain and a ray of sun light landed next to him. _

_His tired eyes moved to the person he did not know of now, if it was an opponent, he would not be able to survive another fight. His eyes looked at the golden lit person _

"_Naruto" _

_He moaned, letting himself sliding down the wall. How come he was lit up like a light bulb? He had no idea and he was too tired to think of something. Two hands grabbed Kakashi's falling body; another Naruto caught him._

"_Good to see you alive." One of them told him, he nodded weary._

"_What happened? Is one of you real? What happened to Sakura?" Kakashi demanded in a weary voice. _

"_A lot" Naruto said "And Madara, we're fighting him and he refuses to stay down"_

_Another Naruto clone walked up from behind them holding Sakura. "Both of you need medical attention" The clone shifted the girl in his arms as another got Kakashi in a piggy pack position._

"_I don't like it" he said annoyed but had a soft tune._

"_Bear it or should I get Guy?" The clone said. Kakashi shuddered a bit and left it._

_He let Naruto win this small battle, leaning on the boy who he normally carried after a long fight. Somehow the rules were now the other way around._

"_But Madara…" Kakashi voice weakened "…bastard…"_

Days later he had woken up under Sakura's gaze who looked like a walking zombie. He sighed again. After being lost in thoughts and staring without focusing on the names of the memorial stone he looked up into the sky. The stars were still out; the dawn was nevertheless near and the sound of a thud not far away. Kakashi lone eye narrowed at his visitor.

oooo

She yawned, the nurse next sighed from exhaustion. "I need my bed" Sakura whined and the other nurse purred some coffee in the cherry red mug.

"Me too" another yawn followed and they both laughed.

Sakura hated the late night shift, it was tiring even without work, but what could she do. She could get herself out of it, she was the boss here but it was unfair to her colleagues, so she was cursed like everybody else to do 2 weeks of late night shifts every two months. This was already the last night of it, and the next 7 days were free. She was happy. She would have time for her daily, normal not so 'ninja' life and she will enjoy every bit of it. Sakura stirred the sugar in the coffee looking at the ticking clock on the wall of the coffee kitchen. 4:05 AM she need to survive until 07:15 AM than she would head straight to a shower and the heaven called bed. Her tired head started drifting off to the blond hero of Konoha…

"_Naruto" He was already walking away from her, "Please" She had begged him "Hear me out". Her heart aching with every step he made away from her. Was he still thinking that she doing this intentionally? Sakura thought, That she was standing here to hurt him? She knew he was hurt; that his heart ached just likes hers. She understood that his sadness and hurt had turned into anger. _

"_I will say it once again" Naruto said, his back to her. "I don´t want to hear it, just because you would feel better." He started to walk again._

"_Please" Her voice made him walk quicker. "Why" she asked, still following him "Why not believe me?" This got the better out of him; his eyes filled with anger his, body stoic. He turned around, his face wild. _

"_I won´t be the one you use to get over Sasuke" He said "I will never ever play this part, because it will shatter me in the end!" His voice got louder with every word._

_Her cheeks were red like her puffy eyes, her tears were falling down. His words hurt her. They were breaking her. Why? Why did he not want to believe? Yes, she was not the nicest person to him. She used his feelings to stop him to go after Sasuke. That was wrong, but it would not change the fact in her life now. The very true fact. _

"_Believe me" She pleaded again. "Everybody grows up from faded crushes!" She wiped the tears from her face with her hand.\_

"_Yeah-" He whispered his eyes full of emotion "-and I just did from mine" She froze right on the spot, not able to say anymore. It was too hard to believe, that he would ever say something like this; to end something that could turn into something big and beautiful._

"_I did but you did not" He said and turned his head back around, leaving Sakura behind, crying with the silent plea for him to stay and believe her, but he would not because he was hurting more than her. No more, he made himself clear. He was not able to take more of her, he was sick of her and he needed to get away from her. She had to understand that but she had made the experience a painful one by her own doings._

On the next day Naruto was gone, off onto another journey. The blond had said nothing to nobody; he just took off in the middle of the night. His small apartment neatly cleaned: no food was left behind and the small fridge turned off. When she stood in his small apartment it still smelled the same as the boy… and his Instant Ramen. Everything was put away neatly, nothing was left behind dirty. Even the water was turned off and the electricity cut. He was not coming back; he hadn't still after a couple years. Sakura only thought that he would only come home when Sasuke and Madara had been defeated or the time to take over Tsunade's position. She knew and it hurt. This was one of the only times she allowed herself to cry and she had. She cried the whole night in his bed, until she was too tired to cry more and drifted to sleep.

She had felt useless, left behind, not worth it, most of all alone and hurt. Even Sai said to her she did it to herself, not sparing her one nice word. She believed he was right. Just like Kakashi, who had his eye narrowed as he told her that he had no time for training with her? She got the meaning; he believed too that she was a lying bitch. Slowly she started to believe it she really was only a lying bitch along with everyone else. It didn't seem to matter that she told the truth; everybody thought that she was lying. Or was it the other way around?

"It didn't matter anymore." Well this was what Sakura had said to herself, after the night full of tears.

Like she had assumed after Kakashi statement to her, he had vanished into thin air and Tsunade said out flat that he is back in the Black Ops. It saddened her that Kakashi left her behind too. He didn´t want to hear any word, it became like that when he joined. He had forgotten her when she was younger and now, he forgot about her completely because of his mistrust and anger. That was the way it seemed like. On top she was no one important to him anymore while as he still was to her. She understood that on the day he narrowed his eye on her leaving her, just like Naruto had, behind…

The sound of a ninja wearing an Anbu mask coning into the doorway of the coffee kitchen brought Sakura out of her sad memories. The clock told her it was still only 04:15AM.

"He is back" the smooth voice said, she knew the voice, it was his teammate's. It had been a silent arrangement Tsunade did for her, well, for her Ex-Student. He avoided the hospital like a plague treating his wounds in the bathroom in his home. Nobody ever really knew just how badly he was still injured when he took off again, never showing pain or emotions about it. One day he will be carried dead out of his own home with his recklessness. She could not let that happen. She was not important to Kakashi, but he was to her.

"Thank you Sai" She said and stood up, leaving the white coat behind and grabbed the small medical kit. The cool air hit her when she took off, she knew where he was, it was where he would be each morning around this dead hour of the day. With a relatively loud thud she made her announcement to him. She straightened herself out before closing the distance between the two. She saw how he narrowed his eye once again at her, in the inside she felt like crying but on the outside she couldn't show any emotion towards the man. He sat down, letting her take of the chest protector and pull his shirt up. The click of her medical kit was heard, the wound stung when the sterilizer hit the hurt flesh. Still no reaction from Kakashi, Sakura was used to it though. She let her healing chakra cover the wound but she never touched his skin, he did not like to be touched. Eventually only a pink line was left behind. She grabbed the tonic, put it on and a large patch found the way on his side. Her hand roamed over his leg, she sent chakra throughout a slightly-less deeper cut in his body. The soft click of her medical bag shutting was heard again.

The sun was up now, sending the first rays of the day to them. He did not even thank her once since she started to treat his wounds after his missions. Not one word to her since the day he said to her, he had no time to train with her. And this was already years ago.

Silently she bowed to him, leaving him alone, like he preferred anyway. She vanished in the shadows of the trees. Oh she wished…. She wished…. Somebody would tell her: Don´t cry over anyone who won't cry over you. Maybe that is true, but she couldn´t help to feel like that.

Kakashi leaned on the memorial stone, looking her retreating. He sighed and looked in the sky.

Sakura sighed and looked in up to the morning rays.

Naruto stood in the window frame, wiping some sweat away looking up to the rainbow clouds.

How every body wished it wouldn´t be like this.

They wished for happiness, an ending to the sadness and a brighter future. Though not only their personal problems were in the way, something bigger, something more fearful.

It made them angry, worried and sad… the looming evil in the horizon. How they wished the war was over though it wasn't, well, no not really. The enemy had retreated years ago, leaving broken Villages and exhausted Shinobi behind. Blood, loss and tears but the victory they held was that they had survived and they will survive again.

The War was over? No it was only the beginning….

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><p>Beta Reader: <strong>xXChirushiXx <strong>- Thank you!

Link: .net/u/2933591/

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><p>Updates: Hopefully weekly, depends on our SchoolUniversity workload.

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><p>This story start off with some changes:<p>

1) Sasuke does not have Itachis eyes yet.

2) Edo-Madara was not involved until now.

3) Sakura has more guts against Sasuke.


	2. Chapter 02

**Summary**: [Only a thin line tells love and hate apart, truth and lies, happiness and sadness. Sacrifices are made to save the ones you love. Sometimes you have to hurt yourself to gain the happiness you long for. It is your job to make the line thicker between these so alike yet so different feelings. In the end, it was only a true lie that started all of this.]

**Rating**: [M16+/18, Pregnancy, not a kids story!]

**Warnings**: [Character death! Rape possible, sexual content. OOCnes. Characters developing to adults.]

**Characters/Pairings**: To many, be surprised. Main Naruto & Sakura.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**I never think of the future - it comes soon enough.**

**#Albert Einstein**

The clock to her right on the small table ticked somewhat loud, she thought about the millionth time. Tick tock tick tock… a never ending circle of tick and tock.

"Damn annoying clock" She cursed about the 100th this in the last 24 hours.

She also yawned about the same amount and nearly falls asleep on all the papers on her makeshift desk in the tent. It was a mess, not only on her desk. The whole tent was a mess. Scrolls, books and paper were everywhere.

_'Damn you Madara... arghs damn all Uchiha's_...' She thought _'Making a mess in the Village'_

Her only company was the little pig fast asleep on one of the cushion next to the desk; Shizune had gone to get something to eat. She wondered if Shikamaru was sprawled out on the big sitting cushions in the corner, snoring off the day, this thought made her even more annoyed. She rubbed her eyes as she heard someone enter.

The bags under the eyes of her visitor told her she was not sleeping as much as she needed to.

"You look like shit" Her teacher scolded her softly.

"You not doing any better Tsunade-taichou" The older woman grunted a bit which made Sakura smile.

"How is patching up work doing?" She asked her past pupil.

"So far fine, still we miss the hospital facility…"

"Yeah understandable" Tsunade nodded than opened a drawer "We have to plan so much… I push them to get started" Sakura shook her head.

"Don´t mind us." Sakura assured. "I know that first we have to make sure our borderlines are still save and everything around it; then we do the rebuild work after we got our people back on their feet"

Tsunade nodded. This was one of these days that she was constantly reminded that Sakura was her pupil.

"Shikamaru is already planning the rebuilding, he has some great ideas" Sakura smiled and let herself sink in the big sitting cushion. "Don't snore off over there" Tsunade warned.

Sakura groaned and stretched. "Don't intend to. By the way, his leg is doing fine. But he is not able to sit still, the lazy bum…." Tsunade laughed.

"Surprisingly..." She sighed. "Yet, I think we still underestimate him" Sakura nodded.

"Yeah like you told about the fire lord" The older woman throws something to her, she caught it easily.

"Hm?" Sakura hummed.

"Look inside" It was her Ninja ID. In there an old picture of her younger self, underdeveloped and weak; she snorted in her mind.

"What´s with my ID?" She asked. Tsunade had asked her to leave it behind yesterday and she had.

"Next page" Tsunade hinted; Sakura turned the page. She looked at the stamp once, twice, about 50 times until she got it.

"Huh?" Her mind only formed. Tsunade smiled.

"You earned it, you need it and we need it" She said before sitting down and leaning back in the chair.

"But taichou, is this really alright?" She was not really believing what she saw in her Ninja ID. It was too good to be true and she felt out of place all off sudden.

"Don't you believe in my decisions?" Tsunade asked narrowing her eyes. Sakura gulped, she was too tired to get away from Tsunade's wrath.

"What about the exam?" Tsunade sighed.

"You will do the writing test later if you really want. And the fighting test, if you really want. It won´t be necessary..."

Sakura closed her Ninja ID.

"-But believe me I need you in this position out there." The Hokage pointed to the tent's doors. "You've showed more than once that you are capable of your work. You ran the hospital alone with big success in the chaos. You were able to handle it with a cool head. You did you work as a Medic. Next to it you fought well; yes maybe you could have done better, but experience will come to you in due time and you have still a lot to learn. Again, time will do if for you" Tsunade explained her decision with truth in her eyes.

Sakura's face shows that she still thinks she's dreaming; she still couldn't believe it..

The Hokage sighed. "I will tell you the same over and over again. You ran the field hospital from day one. You organized and planned everything out; none of us had done better. I am able to rely on you in the worst of times and with that I have allowed you rise in you rank. I need capable Shinobi. You are one. That is why I allow you to start in this rank without the big exam. I need you as the head of the hospital now and forever. I trust you; I hope you will do your work like it should be done"

Sakura was lost for words and Tsunade could tell. The girl was overwhelmed; Sakura was working hard to climb out of the old self she was. That she was trying to get rid of the weak self she was. She reminded Tsunade of herself when she was young, when she lost a lot and trying to fit in with her team. She was proud of her. Yes, she has some other underlings she taught, but Sakura was her star pupil. She had even overtaken Shizune in her skills.

"Be proud of what you achieved." Tsunade said "You really earned it" A smile grew on Sakura's face.

"Thank you" Her eyes were getting watery; soon tears were finding their way down. Sakura was trying to hide her tears.

"Nah nah" The older woman said and stood up. She walked around the desk to hug her pupil. She was growing up just fine. The next years will be do the rest and she could even see that Sakura will surpass her in every way possible - or maybe she already had, only age and years of knowledge was the difference between them.

"Thank you" The girl cried in the hug.

"No problem" Tsunade let her cry for a bit; she knew it was way of relief. The Hokage knew that she needed some sort of relief as well, though; she didn't have the time for it at the moment. When she does get the time though, she plans to have the night off with some sake.

"You have the authority to do whatever you want and need. Do not bug me with anything of the hospital stuff or I will go crazy" Sakura laughed looking up to Tsunade, wiping away the tracks of salty water.

It was unbelievable; she just got out of the drawer her promotion to be a Jōnin. Giving her clearance with being the Head of the Hospital to nearly everything, with this she would be able to handle the hospital all alone. She heard all the words of trust Tsunade had in her, and she was flooded with happiness. Sure, that was not the way she wanted it, she would like to do the exam to show she is capable to succeed. Some time later she may ask to take the writing and fighting exams. However for now, she would not complain either. She needed the authority to do her work properly. Konoha was still in pieces not even full rebuild after Pains attack and already shattered again. It was tiring though here she was, oozing out happiness in the middle of a broken Konoha. It didn't felt completely right.

"Don't worry" Tsunade said "You are allowed to be happy about it" It was like she read her mind. "Only because we have to rebuild doesn't mean we aren't allowed to be happy" Sakura smiled. It lifted some weight from her shoulders.

"Thank you"

"Don't" Tsunade hushed her "You earned it." Sakura was still smiling. "So hush - go out you have a job to do"

Sakura eventually left her sensei alone with all her own paperwork.

Tsundae sighed as she looked up to all the paperwork Sakura had left her to do. "I need a handful of assistance…" She cursed searching for a pen under all the paper…

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

In an open field, a fire was burning; ninja circled the flames, keeping the fire in check with the odd water ninjutsu every now and then. Other ninja were making a line passing up white bags until they reached the end of the line and chucked into the flames.

"That's the last one" A man yelled who was at the start of the passing up line. His name was Souta and was the head of the hygiene department. He started to make his way back over to the flames as the passing line finished throwing the last few bags into the fire before splitting up to do other set jobs.

"It was a good idea from Sakura-sama" An older woman named Ayaka said as she split from the line to talk the ninja. She had grey hair and was wearing a white coat.

"Yes, Ayaka" Souta answered her. "It would be bad if we breed an epidemic or something"

The older woman shudder.

"With the field hospital facility it would go round like a wild fire" They both nodded looking in the flames, where all the filled bags were burning down to ashes.

The bags were filled with beaten and bloody clothes; with clothes and other textile fabrics and burnable stuff form the hospital from operations and what they were not able to wash in the small facility. It was not like they had no water; it was they had not the room, time or machines to wash. Normal clothes were washed in the lake with soap and a washboard, like in the good old times. However for the sheets and so on for the hospital or bandages, it will not work this way. The chance to infect somebody with something was too high. Moreover they do not want to Konoha undergoing an epidemic. They had stripped every patient bare from their bloody clothes and burned it all. It was safer this way. Also they had a hygiene funnel before you can enter the hospital, or an operation room or the lab. It was hard to keep everything accurate according to the hygiene code. From what they knew, it looked like it works out.

"She is young and capable" Ayaka said

"Yeah scary, hm?" They both laughed. Yes, a second Tsunade. That was really scary…

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Sakura sneezed and rubbed her nose with a tissue. A '_Hmpf'_ was heard from her before the tissue was thrown into the small bin to her side. She yawned and grabbed her pink tea cup that was a present from a child she healed. She was in a make shift office with cotton sheets as walls. She had a sip of her herbal tea, while wishing that the piles of paperwork in front of her would disappear.

Sakura had made some arrangements and it will work out, but the staff had a hell of work to do. Sakura sighed again leaving the tea behind.

At the moment Sakura only wore a nurse uniform, And a doctor coat above it. Around her neck was a stethoscope, her nametag was pinned on the left pocket above her heart and two pens were clipped onto the said pocket. In the lower pocket she hid lollipops away. She was an addict at the moment; as long her mouth was working, she would not fall asleep. It was just a way to keep herself occupied so that she would stay awake. It worked quite well. Her boots hung loosely on her feet and the first button of the nurse uniform was open, showing that she does have some chest.

Since she didn't have to be in her battle gear, meant that she didn't need to wear any binding. She enjoyed the time she actually was able to wear a lovely bra, instead of chest binding. She moved so that her chest moved under the fabric of the bra. She felt less confined. It was not much, but each one filled her hands reasonably. Maybe there was a bit of hope for later, when she is an adult that they might get bigger. She shrugged and tucked a loose strain of hair behind her ear, if not it won´t matter anyways. She massaged the back of her neck that was now free of all the loose strains of hair because they were either in her pony-tail or behind her ears; it was easier to work like this.

Her belly rumbled; Sakura sighed. "In an hour" She told the rumbling stomach. She hoped that she would last that long, she would have a quick break: stuff herself with a can full of straight coffee and a bun or something. She was pale, tired and hungry, but the work needed to be done.

She may only lasted another fifteen minutes before she needed some food and a brake. She found out that everyone else was exhausted as she fought her way through cotton curtains; at least she wasn't the only one. The curtains were that only thing that gave a bit privacy in some areas. She cursed as she tripped and landed on her face. She jumped back up and straightened herself out before she heard a chuckle.

"Nice one" Kakashi said to her. Her eyes caught his frame; he was sitting in his bed reading one of his beloved novels. She sighed; again, it was slowly it becomes a habit of hers.

"How many times have you actually read it already?" Sakura asked while walking up to him.

"I do not keep count"

Sakura eyes locked with his lone one, death glaring him. Kakashi shrugged.

"About 68 times this one." He finally answered her question.

She shook her head and touched his arm that wasn't holding up the book; it had been resting in his lap. The bone had been broken four times without it being fully healed before it was broken again. One more crack and he would have lost the whole arm and the deep cut was not helping the rescue of it. However they had done it; he had many cuts and bruises never complained once.

"Oh yeah…" Kakashi said "Good day to you." He greeted his once pupil.

"Hey to you too; Kakashi" She greeted back. The greetings were a bit late, but still. He had told her to drop the honorifics not long ago. He felt old enough already and with her promotion to Jōnin herself, she didn't need to call him Sensei anymore. She did as he wished. It felt real good in a way, it felt like they were at least a bit on the same walking space. "So, how are you doing today?" She asked as her hand began to glow light green above the bandages.

"Buzzing and burning" She nodded at the information.

"It will be like this at least for two more days" She said as she grabbed an item out of her coat bag. "This will help a bit"

Kakashi's colour in his face vanished.

"That's funny" Sakura smiled "The mighty Copy Ninja is afraid of injections…."

The man bit his cheek.

"But you know," She said, a glimmer of evil appeared in her eyes. "I can get Toyo" She started.

The man shudders. This petite male nurse, Toyo, had a thing for him. Kakashi accepted the sexual orientation of people, but only when they're not directed his direction. He was not gay! Not one bit; not even in the drunkest darkest night in his life. He would never be gay!

"He will agree, with glee, to get you a Rectal Suppositories ready"

His eyes lone eye wide, after a moment he got his posture back. "You are evil" He said to her "Are you a S-?" He asked and a vein popped on her forehead. Before he could react she had him flipped on his front. "Sakura" He protested.

She sat more or less on him, on arm pushing his back down, her legs holding his legs down. With his loss of strength he was not able to push the woman away. She held the shot in her mouth and pulled the fabric of his pants down. "Sakura!" The older man whined and the needle pierced his skin without a warning. He groaned out. His muscles were tense; he would get a bruise from the shot. _'My ass will hurt for days! Damn it!_' Kakashi thought. Sakura let go of him satisfied. When did she change into this kind of woman? 'Ah...' he thought, he knew - the war had shaped the woman he saw in front of him.

"Think before you talk" She said to him. "Next time I will get Toyo…"

The copy ninja pouted while rubbing his poor buttock.

"Be happy I was the sponge bath person, or Toyo would get your ass back then or some other nurse would have raped you while you were cold out…" She trailed off.

_'Yeah fuck!_' Kakashi frowned in the inside. She got the point. Her win; his loss. He was determined not to let hear another groan of his. She patted his head and for a moment he looked like a pouting child, rubbing the spot of the injection with his good hand. "Need a lollipop?" She asked him and held one out to him. It was a red one; cherry.

"No" still pouting she laughed and unwrapped the lolly to put it in her mouth.

Sai pushed his way through the curtain wall meeting with the two. He was still recovering from loss of chakra from his last battle and was allowed to sleep in the tent city instead of the somewhat hospital.

This time they were going to get the injured people back on their feet and be sure that the worst is over and done for, like the possibly of epidemic; than they will rebuild. It was a good choice and Sakura believed, even after all the mess and painful encounters, they will share and gain a lot of good memories in the tent city. She was sure of it.

"Hey Sai" The two both greeted him.

"Greetings" He said and sat down on the corner of Kakashi bed.

Sakura was sitting on the corner of Naruto's bed, which was next to Kakashi's. Naruto had yet not woken up. She had checked on him nearly every hour to make sure everything was alright. He never before was unconscious for as long as he had been. With the data she had, she presumed that it had to do with the Kyūbi chakra use. Naruto have some explaining to do after he wakes up so that she will understand his condition to the core.

"I heard you need some new signs" Sai asked her and Sakura eyes went from Naruto's unconscious form to the other bed.

"Ah... yes" She started. "We have none around here and some stuff is not able to work without signs" She explained before sighing once again.

"Hm" Sai rubbed his chin. "You can hand me a list" He started. "I'm bored so I offered to make them" Sakura's eyes lit up.

"Really?" She asked and the ink user nodded. "That will be wonderful" and clapped her hands together, the small clap was heard by most of the other patients behind the curtains. In soft voices they talked about the signs she needed and that the next load of trash had been burned. The group eventually got into the topic of the water facility and that in three days they will finally have running hot water again.

"I want to shower for hours or just stay in a hot tub all day. Either one is fine with me" Sakura sighed and Sai muttered something about Sakura being a 'Typical Woman'. Her vein showed again, she feared that it will be eventually be permanent on her skin; but it vanishes when another hand touched her hand softly.

Naruto's eyes moved under his closed eyelids, seeing the battle of his eyes opening.

"Hmm... Sakura-chan?" He asked trying to find her face.

"Good to have you awake" He heard a man's voice

"Kakashi-sensei" Naruto rasped out. His voice was shady from the lack of use.

Sakura got onto her feet, the lack of her weight of Naruto's mattress let him shift a bit. Her hands were roaming over him. He was a bit in daze, feeling like he was half asleep. She grabbed the blanket, moved it away. The cold air hit his body. He shuddered. His hand rubbed through his face, wondering why he felt so cold all of sudden. He felt that his other arm was bandaged so he did not move it. Otherwise the woman here will surely hit him.

"A train hit me?" He muttered out and he heard Kakashi and Sai laugh at his comment and felt Sakura hand touching the upper side of his leg. His bare leg… he needed a second. Sakura touched his bare leg? He jerked into a sitting position, groaning. His head spinning from the sudden movement, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Baka" a voice told him. Sakura's hand touched his temple, letting some of her healing chakra sooth the spinning in his head. He rubbed the other temple.

"Damn it" He cursed and he felt her hand wander once again on his leg. He opened his eyes. "Wha..?" Left his mouth when the first think he saw he wasn't dressed. His body flushed all over. With his good arm he tried to grab the sheet, but she did not let him. His eyes widened with terror when her hand stopped him. The other was nearing his tights again. That was dangerous. That was too dangerous. How would his body react? It would be his doom. _'God damn it.'_ He cursed in the inside. Nevertheless he saw that she held no embarrassment in her professional medic mode. Her hand went by him… too close for his liking. That was a lie, he likes it, but in that situation it was 'Very very very bad!' his mind screamed.

"Sakura-chan!" He shrieked girlishly and he heard her sigh. _'Since when did she sight like this?'_ he asked himself.

"You have absolutely nothing I have not seen before…." She said and continued with her work.

Naruto was not sure if that statement was good or bad. He felt already his blood moving somewhere else, trying to get the sheet up. And when she roamed over his beaten arm he succeeded. The young man was embarrassed to no end at the moment. Now he was blushing all over his body. Kakashi was holding his laughter and Sai complimenting him as to that he was not dick-less at all, that he could call himself lucky since he was proper size for women satisfaction. With that his skin turned into an even darker shade of red. _'Like I care about that now!'_ His mind frowned and he was aware again, that he was naked and she was touching him.

"Sakura-chan..." He said again. She should stop touching him, right now.

"Hold still" She said her hand moving over his side down to the other leg.

"But I'm naked!" He said embarrassed

"Your point?" She asked.

"I'm naked?" He asked and she sighed again.

"What do you think how many private parts I have seen in the last days?" He did not want to know the answer of this question. "Believe me, you are next to Sai, Kakashi and many other friends of ours, your just one more…" and her hand was on his shoulder. His eyes moved to the side Kakashi for a moment who let his head hung in defeat. So his sensei awoke like him bare with her checking on him? At least something he would not be teased about then.

Kakashi sighed mutely. He had awoken naked in the bed like Naruto, and she was the one looking after him. _'So yeah, his cute little student saw his cute- ah big thing!'_ He corrected his own thoughts.

"But-" Her hand touched Naruto's cheek softly, her thumb moving once or twice up and down. It shut him up. In her face a relived smile with tired eyes.

"I'm happy you didn't die out there" With that she left him with the two of her team alone. Slowly he grabbed his sheet higher. Like an embarrassed woman up to his chest.

"So-" He asked after a while. "Possible to get something to wear?"

"The cute little hospital nightgown is an option" He heard from his Sensei.

"Right…" Naruto bit out. "I wanted something to wear; not to expose myself even more…" He was still red from head to toe and where Sakura had touched him; only a burning sensation was left behind.

Kakashi only chuckled. "That's not possible, she saw all didn't she?" Naruto wanted to say something but shut his mouth defeated...

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Shikamaru" Sakura said in a dead tune. "Get you ass here"

He gulped. It was better to do what she asked for and sat down on the chair.

"You should have been here three hours ago…" Sakura ordered him and he gulped again. She opened the drawer in the small examination room. "Take it off" She muttered getting the bandages, the sore overlap and tincture ready.

He sighed and tried to get his shirt over his head, but he winced halfway done. He was stuck in his position. His arms only half way up; the pain was not letting him to get them down again.

"Damn" He cursed and he saw the triumph in her eyes, he did not like it.

"You know" Sakura said and then her voice softened. "I didn't say it to annoy you." She helped to get the first arm out of his shirt.

"I know" He said softly looking down to his feet. Shikamaru knew. She told him to come every six hours to her because he refused to stay in the hospital. He wanted to work on the plan for rebuilding of the water facility and so on. It was like something was driving him, he was not able to sit still. He winced when she peeled of the old bandages and overlaps. It looked better already, but still bad enough. It was an ugly burn. His leg was doing fine, but this burn was not there of being good.

"It is better" She said "But when you don't want to have scars-" Shikamaru shook his head

"I don't care about scars-"

She hit his back head a bit. "Hear me out"

He sighed loud.

"When you don't do like I told you, it will scar. The pulling feeling in every move will be felt and worst it will hurt in your normal activity. Imagine while fighting" She explained. Her voice told him, she was concerned, really concerned. He rubbed his hand. "It will hurt with every move you to. It could hinder you in later years. In duty" She stopped with her explanation to him. He let his head hang, he knew that she was right.

"I should do better, hm?" He asked the floor.

"Yeah" She said to him and her warm hand rubbed the tincture on his back. Despite her hands being warm, the tincture felt icy cold. His back was burning from it. He did not like the feeling.

"Please do what I tell you" Shikamaru nodded his head softly. "By the way" Sakura smiled. "Did you know that your arms are perfect?" He turned his head a bit. Was she flirting with him, or what was this?

"What?" He asked slightly shocked. She rubbed the tonic on his back not irritated by her statement.

"I said you have perfect arms, like the perfect idol in the medic books. You can call yourself lucky" She grabbed the overlaps.

"Flirting?" He blurred out, her eyes now locked with his.

"Huh?" She voiced out, her eyebrows went up high. "No. When I want to flirt I would say something like-" She thought for a moment "You have great muscles, or something like that? -But not telling about a medical book… intelligence scares men..."

Shikamaru don't get women. And he was sure he won't ever.

"Ok?" He only said back and looked back to his feet. His cheeks were hot. "Shot" He murmured. Sakura thought it was because she hurt him in her procedure.

"Sorry" She excused and he only sighed. He was thinking about that if she had meant to flirt with him. He was a Genius, today he thought he was not...

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Neji could not hold it any longer.

He needed to pee.

That was nicely said. He needs to piss. Really. He felt like he held five litres in his bladder. He refused to use the urinary bottle because when everybody walked by they could watch him. It was not possible.

"Lee, please get a nurse" He asked him, his teammate who was chatting happily.

"Got it" And the green guy was gone. Neji sighed a bit.

"What's wrong?" Tenten asked.

_'What to say?'_ He thought, but the truth would be the best.

"I need to go somewhere" Tenten thought a moment

"Oh" She only said and both said nothing afterwards. His other teammate came back a nurse in tow.

"What can I do for you Neji-san?" She asked

"I need to go" He explained the nurse nodded and went around the bed, grabbed under the bed into a box and handed him a urinary bottle.

"Here you go" She smiled and vanished. Neji face was blank. Lee watched back and forth between the empty spot of the nurse and Neji. Tenten tried hard not to laugh.

"God damn it!" The Hyūga cursed.

"Wow" Tenten said, truly amazed. "I had no idea you had it in you to curse..." and started to laugh. Neji felt like crying. He nearly burst, he needed to go badly. There were no curtains; he could not do it here, in the open area. It was a disgrace. He shifted uncomfortable, pushing with his bandaged hands the sheet away. His arms hurt like hell, his fingers stiff and moved only under a lot of pain a bit and sometime there was no moving at all.

"Where are you going" Lee asked slight panicked.

"Toilet" Lee pushed him back onto the bed.

"You will not, you are not allowed" Neji face twisted a bit.

"There is no way I will use that thing!" He pushed the urinary bottle further away. Lee looked again at the thing and then around.

"Hm" He said letting go of his teammate, rival and friend. "I understand this" Neji sighed and tried to get up. "I will help you then" Lee offered and helped his friend up. Tenten rushed to the other side of him.

"I help too" Neji stiffed a moment "Up to the door, and the way back" The stiffness subsided.

"OK" The Hyūga said and the team walked slowly to the toilets. Tenten parted with them at the door.

"Hmmmm..." Neji hummed and Lee did the knot of his pants. "What a disgrace" Neji muttered shoving his boxers down.

"Should I hold him for you?" Lee asked. Dead silence met both of them for a moment.

"HELL NO!" Neji shouted and Tenten blushed on the other side of the door. She heard every word of it.

"Aw come on, what are friends for!" Then she heard shoving and some muttering from the inside. Then someone falling down and a load groan form Neji.

"**GET OFF ME**!" Neji's voice was between angry and embarrassed.

That was it. Embarrass herself or not the poor Neji need help; Tenten opened the door. The picture was burned forever in her head, until the day she dies. Lee was half sitting on Neji, pulling on his pants and Neji trying to stop Lee touching his smaller friend. The pinkish blush went up in the usual cool Hyūga.

"Out?" He piped.

"Uhhh…" Tenten muttered. The door shut, but not from the outside. She marched over the pair, grabbing on Lee and throw him out of the toilet. The only room with solid walls out of wood, to be precise - it was a big wooden box with sanitary in there.

"Tenten!" Lee shouted.

"Stay put, when you know what is good for you" She hissed and the other side of the door went silent. She tried not to look. Though she did have to look anyway. She saw and she felt dizzy. "Uhh" came from her again, trying to look away. Grabbing one of his arms and put him back to his feet. "I know…" She said. She turned around. "Finish…" She whispered and holds her hand over her ears. It won't help much. Neji know too. He was not sure what was more embarrassing the urinary bottle or the situation here? Every thought of it vanished when he started to get the five litres of pee out of him with a heavenly sigh…

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Some days later Sai stumbled into Sakuras examination room. Sweat on his forehead. He had no big wounds, only small ones. They healed perfectly. His chakra was not top notch yet though. However it was good enough for no suffering anymore. He didn't know what was wrong?

"Sai!" Sakura was already on her feet and helping him to sit down. "You have a fever, lay down" Her hand glowed and eye brows knitter. "What?" She asked.

"I feel funny" He said in a raspy voice.

"Tell me" She asked him.

"My head hurts, my eyes" He said while rubbing his eyes again, a tear streaks down his cheek. "My back aches, down the spine" He breathed out. "My feet feel numb like my fingertips" She nodded, sucking in the information he was giving her. Sakura's breathing hitched.

"God..." She said.

"Sai?" She ripped the shirt of him. Glowing signs appear on his upper torso.

"Did Danzo ever seal something within you?" She asked. She heard his short breath.

"Yes" He told her.

"Do you know what or why?" He groaned, his head felt like bursting open. His eyes stink, more tears leaked out.

"No" He said. "I presumed for safety of Danzo, some seal to get rid of me, if necessary" She nodded slowly. 'Good, that Danzo was dead, the evil bastard' she thought while studying the glow.

"I will put you under anaesthetic for the next few hours to get rid of the fever and find a way to help you, this will keep you safe" His vision was blurred. She filled the injection with the needed amount. His hand stopped her for a moment.

"I feel like dying..." He said. She did not like how he had said it. The air in his lungs burned.

"Breathing hurt" He rasped. "A lot" his saliva filled his mouth. "Fire" He added after a while. "Piercings everywhere" She nodded.

"I will find a way to help you" She assured him, she won´t allow him to die - she will rescue him, not matter what. His vision of her cleared for a moment.

"I trust you…" He breathed out. It was the first time he said it to her. It was the first time, she felt like they were real friends.

"I do too" She said and his eyes rolled back in his head when the shot was emptied.

"MAKOTO" She jelled and dark blond woman fell more or less in the room. "Get Tama!" She ordered "We have an emergency, I need all" The woman stumbled out of the room, knowing what her boss meant.

Sakura felt that the breathing got fainter with every breath Sai took. "God…" She breathed out and grabbed the endotracheal tube…

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><p>Beta Reader: <strong>xXChirushiXx <strong>- Thank you!

Link: .net/u/2933591/

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><p>Updates: Hopefully weekly, depends on our SchoolUniversity workload.

This story start off with some changes:

1) Sasuke does not have Itachis eyes yet.

2) Edo-Madara was not involved until now.

3) Sakura has more guts against Sasuke.


	3. Chapter 03

**Summary**: [Only a thin line tells love and hate apart, truth and lies, happiness and sadness. Sacrifices are made to save the ones you love. Sometimes you have to hurt yourself to gain the happiness you long for. It is your job to make the line thicker between these so alike yet so different feelings. In the end, it was only a true lie that started all of this.]

**Rating**: [M16+/18, Pregnancy, not a kids story!]

**Warnings**: [Character death! Rape possible, sexual content. OOCnes. Characters are adults at some point.]

**Characters/Pairings**: To many, be surprised. Main Naruto & Sakura.

**Please**: Read & Review.

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><p><strong>Chapter 03<strong>

**The only way to have a friend is to be one.**

**~Ralph Waldo Emerson**

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><p>...peep...<p>

...peep... ...peep...

...

...peep...

...peep...

...peep... ...peep...

The heart monitor showing the heartbeat was a feeble sound of what it had once been, sometimes it even forgot to beat for a second. Another sound from another machine, it was pumping oxygen into him. He was in need of it, after his breathing was that ragged and shallow that he was not able to survive another minute without support.

Sai's eyelids fluttered ever so slightly as he lay unconscious in the hospital bed. Sakura stood after she checked on him another minute by his side. Asking herself when her feelings of utter hate in disgust for him turned into friendship, trust and believe. She had clearly forgotten and her fingertips brushing the hair of his forehead away and frowned. The well known ghostly white tan of him was gone and replaced by hollowness and ashen taint.

Slowly she hung his medical clipboard on the end of his bed, checking the IV again and then vanished.

He had crashed three times already and there was no telling, when will be the next. Every time it was worse. The seals still glow even after they had saved him after the crash.

"Don´t worry, I will help you" she said to his sleeping comatose form, it was known comatose patients hear somehow when talked to. That is why she never dared showing worry or fear in her voice, also reassuring him and herself.

Time was running out. She knew it. And Sais body knows it too.

She was fighting a war she did not know how to win, with a seal nobody knows of. She even used some connections but there was no sign. It seemed with Danzo's death, tons of files were just "gone". The only option was finding it herself, quickly and so another sleepless night will start for her.

ooooo

The tiny lamp on the desk made warm yellow light around her blackness from the windowless room or better library. All the ceiling high shelved stuffed with ton of files, documentations, scroll and reports. Due to her promotion and her gained clearance with it, she was able to be here. 'Normal' Shinobi weren't allowed to enter here. A wing of the secret library of Konoha filled with many mysteries, secrets and history of Konoha. For her it was like she was a small kid with 100 bucks in a candy job. However she had no time to gawk at it, she was here with a goal in mind.

The desk was filled with open books, towered and some enrolled scrolls. Above of all her own sheets of paper, filled with her thoughts and hints she had found. Around her scattered more books and scrolls, like she was the gravity centre for them.

Sakura sighed, rubbed her forehead and scribbled something down on her paper only to sigh again. She muttered something unintelligent, grabbed her water bottle and gulped the lurk warm liquid down. When she tapped her feet every now and then, the sound of crushed paper was heard; under her feet, there was a ton of wrapping papers from her beloved cherry lollipops.

It was the fifth night she worked to solve the puzzle. 'The mystery of Sais seal'. At the moment the young man was somehow safe, but she really had no idea how long she was able to have Sai in the 'safe' state after he had crashed yesterday the third time. After she examined him three times through fully, she had a faint idea about the seal and what maybe was sealed with it. However her idea, and if she it was true, would cause a ruckus in no time. _'Hell will freeze over_' she thought. Her hands were in her messy hair again, undone the ponytail. Where the hair band gad gone, she had no idea. Her face was pale, she wished for some hours of sleep.

_'Sleepy'_ she thought while yawning and wished for her bed once more, but she was not able to satisfy her own need now. Sai was more important than some hours of sleep, but afterwards... she will sleep, and when somebody will disturb her, will face death for sure.

Like the nights before, an Anbu sneaked in, kneeling to her side. The voice pulled her out of her train of thought, letting her freak out a bit.

"Try to make a sound when you open the door, one day I will have an heart attack" she scolded the unfazed Anbu.

"How can I help you anyway?" she asked like the other nights.

"Everything fine here?" the unknown and faceless voice asked.

"Yes, no problems" the Anbu nodded and vanished into thin air.

She frowned, sometimes these guys freak her out and she have to handle them from now on. This was because she would be dragged into their headquarter to heal the members if necessary; it was her job now. It was Yamato who visited her the first night, telling her it is the normal night round of them to check everything out. It will not be reported what she was doing her, only that she was working in here. She had only nodded then. With her rising in her rank and being the top of the hospital gave her some opportunities she never thought would ever gain. She would use it, study and learn all she could to be a better asset to the village.

Sakura rubbed her sore neck a bit while scanning and turning the pages of her newest book she found in the shelve in the darkest and most dusty corner in this wing. Her pen fell out of her hand, her mouth wide open and her sleepiness forgotten. She had found the seal. Her fingers traced the picture in the book.

Yes she did found it. It was the same pattern.

Sakura had found the answer she had searched for. She sat there disbelieving. It was true; so true, that she may start to not believe.

"It´s true" she said to herself. Her tired eyes looked at the solution again. "I don´t believe it" she said about the 10th time within two minutes. That was it; it was the key to Sais illness.

"God…" she breathed out snatching her papers rushing out into the morning dawn to her patient.

The sound of her loose boots smacking against her skin was heard while she ran like a maniac through Konoha. The dry surface let the sand whirl up with her hasty steps towards the Konoha "tent" hospital. She cursed about 10times in the hygiene tunnel, nearly run over a tiny nurse. She never thought there would be woman even smaller like herself. The pink haired medic only muttered a small apologize stumbling into her small so called office. Quickly her doctor coat was in place, some papers from her desk in her hand and the office without her presence again.

On her way to her destination she grabbed the nurse named Makoto who stumbled dumbly after her. With words, which never reached Makotos ears, Sakura explained what to do. The poor nurse felt like she was looking at a freaky maniac out of the zombie hellhole somewhere in Konohas deepest corner she never wished to visit. Her boss looked like... she did not even have words for it.

The pink hair was tousled in 10 different directions; somewhere in the mess was a hair band. On the left cheek darkish ink, thick black bag under the very tired green eyes. Sakura's posture slump, like she would fall apart any second.

"Did you get it?"

"Sakura-sama?" the nurse asked her "Sorry I did not..." Makoto gulped. Sakura sighed and explained from the start in hasty manner. This time Makoto got it.

"Not yet" she breathed out rushing to the other side of the bed, pushing the blanket down. Sakura concentrated, writing signs on the naked torso of Sai with the heart monitor peeped at her side and the oxygen pump working steady. Reminding her how urgent it was to get him out of that state he was in.

"Sai that will hurt" she said to him, his body will react. Violently she assumed and both of her hand glowed green above her written signs. Under it was the glowing blue from the seal she was about to break. Slowly she pumped the chakra inside of him. His heart rate went up within a beat. His fingers moved; his legs started to shake and were soon followed by his arms. Makoto had a hard time holding his arms where they belong.

"Got it" and pushed a big amount chakra through him.

The bright green glow of her healing chakra lit up the room for a moment, followed by a blinding light fading into nothing.

His moving stopped and his eyes snapped open not blinking at all. He tried to take a breath, but the machine didn´t let him, since it had it own rhythm. Quickly she ripped of the tape of his mouth, grabbing the tube.

"You won´t like it" she said loud enough and pulls out the tube in an instant. He coughed loud.

"….hhaaa…" she heard afterwards.

"Welcome back" she greeted him, his dark eyes looking up to her.

Sai tried to slow down his breathing so he wouldn't hyperventilate and pass out. He reached a trembling hand toward Sakura. The young man in the bed gasped quietly when Sakura's hand touched his. Like he never experienced touching another hand in his whole life. The gasp such a soft sound that it wouldn't have reached anyone ears if she and the nurse weren't as close to him as they were. Sakura held Sais hand tightly, telling him with her gesture to take his time to adjust.

He needed a minute or two, which were actually about 15 minutes to be back with calm breathing and no nervous sweat on his forehead. He had sipped some water; feeling like he was able to talk again with the painkillers flooded his veins, through the IV. His body hurt all over.

"How long?" Sai asked her, his voice a broken one his throat hurting from the tube.

"It is the sixth day" she started. "I had to put you in a fake coma" she explained clicking the heart monitor to silent mode. "You will feel the effect of it in a bit…" his head started to hurt even more. He clutched it and groaned.

"Tell me what is hurting you at the moment and how you feel, I need to know"

"I feel very weak, and my head hurts a lot. I feel like I will pass out any moment. Other than that, I feel sore." Sai groaned out.

"Hmm, it sounds not that bad for the after match of the ugly seal. Still I will have to monitor you for the next two to four days, as well as making sure you won´t get a high fever, which would be normal in your state but I believe you wish not to get it. After this I don't see any reason why you can't leave. I just want to keep you hear until we are sure you won´t get the fever and the soreness subsided down. Be happy that your body is well trained; you will get back to your feet in no time. Nevertheless you look like you could use some sleep."

"I think you need it more..." he rasped out.

"Do not worry; I will get my beauty sleep later"

"Ugly, that won´t help you anymore" Sakura smiled, the beauty of the conversations with Sai. He would be ok.

"Tell me about the seal?" Sakura sighed, while she made sure the needle of the IV was still where it belongs.

"Later Sai; later. You will be ok, nothing to worry about. The freaky seal is gone and you will have no more problems… damn that old dirt bag" she breathed out.

"Sleep" she ordered. "We will talk, when you are back on your feet"

"I'm not going to sleep until you tell me?" Sai argued, trying to start a battle he lost before it even starts.

"There's no way I'm falling asleep right now," Sai muttered like a pouting child. It was not like him, being exhausted and on pain killers do odd thing to him. Despite this, he wanted to know, badly about the seal. She was hiding something he could tell. Sakura straightening her shoulders, rubbing with one hand her stiff neck and sighed again. The long nights had gotten to her.

"You need to sleep, Sai." she said again looking in his dark eyes, which resembled Sasuke's awfully a lot that let her frown in the inside so very often. However she refused to push him into the same category. Sasuke was Sasuke and Sai was Sai.

It took only two minutes and Sai was already loosing his staring battle, his eyelids dropping lower every second and closed at minute three completely. He had fallen asleep, leaving Sakura to her exhausted self.

With a soft thud her bum made contact with the floor and a single tear snaked its way down her face, stinging her tired skin. Another followed. She was tired, exhausted and so damn happy she was able to save him; her tears of happiness didn´t want to stop...

ooooo

Two weeks later most of the once wounded Shinobi and villagers were nursed back to health. Some were lost in the battle of surviving; some were rescued from their deathbed. It will never outshine the loss but with the first newborn baby was a blessing and a sign for the hope...

_The husband was holding the hand of his dear wife. Showing her again how to breathe, like they learned in child birth course. The inhales and exhales were heard from him and the soothing words, that she did not need to panic. After minutes of irritating babbling the woman, her name was Naria told her husband named Takeo_

_"SHUT the hell up" Sakura and the assisting nurse tried hard not to laugh out loud, when _

_Takeo started an argument with his labouring wife._

_"It is important"_

_"Takeo really shut up!"_

_"You need to breathe huu huu huuuuuu huu huu huuuuuuu..."_

_"DAMNIT" and clutched harder onto her husbands hand who yelped loudly due to his now fractured hand._

_"Now you can start pressing" Sakura said happily and the circle of pain filled screams and the silence while pressing started. _

_When Takeo took a peek he fainted right after he saw the first blood of childbirth and bumped his shoulder while fainting._

_"Idiot" Naria huffed out and the nurse checked on the helpless man on the floor._

_"He is fine"_

_"Let him beeeeeeeeeahhhh!" Sakura nodded at the nurse and 2 minutes later the baby gave his greeting to the world._

_The miracle of life; that was why she loved being a medic._

The small event, helping a woman giving birth to a small brand new being was precious to her. Those moments mended every wound she suffered in the inside from the loos of the patients. The ones she or others were not able to save. It literally made her day in more than one way.

Also the progress of the rebuilding pumped the people up. Showing they had survived and they will survive again and even more. Some days had gone by already when the rebuilding plan was announced and now the noise of working was all over the village. Everybody helped out. The nights were filled with music and alcoholic beverages very often. The new restaurants, food stands and bars flooded with people. Relaxing after a long hard day.

With Sakura's day off coming around and the nagging from Ino, she may try to do the same like anybody else. Her blonde friend getting on her nerves for hours that she should join the dinner get together and the afterwards drink.

_"Ah come on forehead" Ino poked the side of the pink haired one._

_"I´m busy and tired in the evenings Ino-pig... no way..." Sakura muttered._

_"Spoilsport... you really need to relax sometimes. It´s Saturday! Weekend - you know?"_

_"I do relax... in the bathtub with a nice novel and afterwards in my cosy, very fluffy bed."_

_"Yeah yeah..." the blonde rolled her eyes." Really now... when was the last time we were all together like that? It feels like it was years ago" now Sakura rolled her eyes. It was Ino who was meeting every evening with her team or others. _

_"24 hours feels like years to you?"_

_"You know what I mean..."_

_"Yeah yeah..." Sakura smiled and Ino pouted a bit._

_"Please Sakura, everyone will be there" It would be nice to see her friends and Naruto again. Everybody was busy; meeting each other was not easy to do. Or at least for her with her duties, since Ino was attending other duties than the hospital work the blonde had more free time at her hand unlike her. Still... seeing everyone..._

_"Ok..." Sakura gave in. She really wanted to meet everyone. It really does felt like it was year's back, when she last saw all of them._

_"Ok?" Ino asked._

_"Yeah, ok"_

_"YEEESSS!" Ino cheered and Sakura laughed._

In the end even the Hokage herself had tagged along with a scolding Shizune. However Tsunade caught the words 'Zero's Sake' and she was done in a blink of an eye with her paperwork and ready to party. Zeros Sake was something special and there was no way the honey blond haired woman would leave the opportunity go by.

On the next day Sakura smiled brightly despite her hangover, it was one of the best choices she ever did. It was one of the best nights of her life. Only the feeling from the hangover was disturbing a bit and her body feels a bit out of place. Nevertheless she attended her shift only five minutes late.

She thanked heavens that she was the boss around here; still if Tsunade had seen her being late... she would have to run very, very, fast to avoid her wrath. She assumed the Hokage would be cranky today, with the amount of Sake she had drunk last night. Sakura stretched, feeling hungry. She looked at the watch; lunchtime was still far away and sighed. She would meet with Kakashi, Sai and Naruto for lunch.

"Until then you have to wait" she scolded her rambling belly.

ooooo

A loud groan was heard through the shrinking tent city. A face was pushed deeper in the cushions. But the sound of chirping birds and the hammer slamming onto metal did not stopped.

Naruto had a headache. Not just any headache, a hang over, a really strong one. He never had a hangover before and normally he would laugh at the victims of it, though, this time, he himself had one. Then again it was his own fault having one; drinking with Tsunade; or drinking at all; was never a good idea and he will never do it again. _'The damn noises outside'_, he thought. Even the footsteps outside sounded like gunshots. He never wished anyone death, but this moment he would not care at all. Every noisemaker should drop dead, right now. Again a groan and slowly the displeased person sat up, rubbing very sleepy and very annoyed his tired eyes.

His world was spinning slowly; his head was pounding and placed a hand on his forehead.

"So much to sleep in" he muttered, yawning and stretched a bit his somehow sore body. From wherever the soreness was from.

Naruto scratched his belly, looking with his half open eyes at nothing important.

"Damn Sake..." he muttered. The sake got him, it really got him this time and cursed. Slowly he crawled out his bed and frowned why the hell were his clothes scattered all around his tent? He didn´t even remember coming back and tried to remember. However he couldn´t get a single thought together. He assumed he was for sure in a sorry state that he was not even to undress properly. He may be not the tidiest but at least his clothes are only one pile instead of scattered everywhere. The blond man shrugged and stood up. Dragging half of his bed with him. He looked down, around his ankle his bed sheet refused to let go of him. It was neatly tangled with his ankle. For a moment he glared at it but the sheet did not moved, he sighed and tried to shake it off. Still the sheet was not moving.

"Let go" he groaned while entangling the sheet from him. Anyone who would see him like this would have at least chuckled at him or even laughed. After he won the battle against his bed sheet which let him smile in triumph Naruto grabbed his stuff. Again wondering why everything was everywhere and not in one, for his standards, 'neat' pile. After he wrinkled his pants a bit out, he pushed his legs into it and turned to his boxes in his tent.

At least he had a small tent to himself and don´t had to share and nobody saw him last night in here wobbling undressing and falling ungracefully into his bed. Some other may not had the luxury like him, having one tent for itself. The small humble home for now with a big sleeping mat in it.

Two boxes were in his possession. A big one and a smaller one. In the big one was his Ninja stuff, weapons and so on. In the smaller one something to eat likes cookies, apples. In the corner were some water battles and above him, on hangers the only change clothing left. Nothing much but better than nothing. Everything else was destroyed in the battle. But he was grateful for that little left.

Naruto grabbed his towel and wash basin, put his sandals on and left for the Shower Area. Not knowing he left this tent for the last time and all reminders of his forgotten night would be gone only hours later without him ever noticing.

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><p>Beta Reader: <strong>xXChirushiXx <strong>- Thank you!

Link: .net/u/2933591/

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><p>Visit me - <strong>Junablossom<strong> - on devianArt

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><p><strong>Updates<strong>: Hopefully weekly, depends on our School/University workload.

**Please**: Review too to help erasing mistakes and support.

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><p>I hope you did enjoy my story.<p>

_Junablossom_


	4. Chapter 04

**NOTICE:**

**This is a NARUTO and SAKURA Story no matter what and whatever you may think at the moment of the discovery in this chapter may be true or not. I remind you on the NAME of this story - TRUE LIES - so please behave and do not flame me for something you may misunderstand or think to much about it. This Genre for this Story is DRAMA, you need to be aware of it when you read my story. Drama does not mean only some tears here and there... just to let some know, who do not know...**

**The storyline is not easy to understand sometime, but please do not give up just because there is something that could twist the plot that may be is not even a twist in the end.**

**So dear flamers, please be patient and do not try to change my storyline due to your flames to your liking. Yes this chapter seems to be awful for the main pairing Naruto and Sakura at the very moment, I remind you this is Drama.**

**Stay with me and the story and you will see it.**

**For all other: Enjoy the chapter and let you imagination run wild :-) We will see what will be true or not.**

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><p>Next Update: Soon as possible!<p>

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><p><strong>Chapter 04<strong>

_**Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions.**__**  
><strong>__**Edgar Cayce**_

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><p>There he was; working with the other men in the heat. The sun was burning down like it should in mid-summer, however, it was only spring, thus making the workers sweat. Each eventually peeled off their pieces of cloth one after another with the unmoving wind. No soft rustling from the trees, or the leaves of the tree <em>she<em> was hiding herself behind at least.

Her throat felt dry as she licked her lips; her eyes fixated on him. Seeing every move of his muscle and how the sweat was rolling down his heated body. Just the backside of him afar made her flush all over.

Due to the extreme hot spring day, he was not wearing his two coloured, well known, jacket, his shirt somewhere else and his pants rolled up in the heat of the day. Moreover she was sure that the sweat all over his body letting his well build body glitter in the bright sunlight made him look much more interesting than before.

The rising temperature made her feel like she was a fish in the dessert.

Her heart was beating quickly; a rushing sound in her eyes from the quick flow of her blood. Her pale eyes had never left him a second since she arrived here. Not once, after she hid behind a corner to take a peek on him. She wished she had the courage of just going over to him, saying 'hi' or anything at all. However with her freshly imprinted memory with him, she was not able to. '_How do I just walk over to him?_'

She wondered how red she was already, when she felt that a new wave of blush rolled all over her body. Changing her face to a deeper colour, making her shudder a bit. Dreamily she looked at him while her fingers played with a strain of her long silken hair.

"Naruto... -kun..." she sighed out remembering what just happened...

_They all were laughing, some girls dancing to the loud music and the drinking contest was never ending. The other game taking the first victims down._

_She had nursed her drink for hours, trying not to sip to much of the alcoholic beverage, but in the end she got a good amount of it in her system. How much was it? 3 cups? 6 cups? Or even more? She had no idea anymore. People say alcohol changes behaviour, somehow it wouldn´t work for her. Or so she thought, not thinking about anymore when she was dragged by Ino to the small dancing area where bodies smoothly moved with each other. Girl with girl, girl with boy and even boy with boy. Something she never did, but nevertheless moved her body with the music like she never did anything else in her life. It was mysterious to her how she was able to move along, but the thought vanished quickly. It had felt good, never noticing when she was touched by somebody, dancing with her. Letting her body move with the other. It was hot it and sweaty and it felt like she was sky high. Only when her thirst telling her to take a break she really looked who was dancing with her, it was somebody else than before. Who she did not know, letting her eyes reach up the black dressed chest. She caught the dark skin, the edged of whisker marks. Her eyes went up quickly, blue eyes looked at her with a smile on his face._

_"Never new you are a dancer" he had slurred and the song ended all to quickly and his hot hands left her body. A shiver ran down her spine._

_"Thanks for the dance" he said to her and turned around, pushing his arm up to call to someone. However her actions stopped him. Both hands stopping his arm, she did not want him to go away._

_"Hm?" Naruto murmured, not really reaching her ears._

_"Don´t" she started._

_"Don´t what?" the blond asked._

_"Dance with me...?" a bright smile was again on his face when he turned around back to her._

_"You are cute today" he said all of sudden and all she remembered afterwards, that he had indeed kissed her-_

Hinata shook her head violently. It was not prober to think about it, not at all and bit her lip. If her father would know about it, he would bury her alive six feet under. Moreover Neji would try to beat her beloved blond black and blue. Not that he would succeed; but an angry father and Neji together would be fearful, even for Naruto.

She sighed loudly when a hand touched her shoulder, catching her that she was not paying attention to her surroundings.

"Hinata" a voice greeted her, but her eyes were glued to the lips who had just formed her name.

"Hinata?" and the young woman fainted on the spot. Naruto rubbed his neck, what was with that woman. She seemed to have the faint illness in her DNA or something. He had no idea when the Beast Master rushed already towards them...

Ino was rubbing her butt with a frown on her face, looking at the closed door before her. How did that happened? She only wanted to chat and then the idiot just throw her out and she landed rather painfully on her butt.

Shikamaru on the other hand, rubbed his temples. He had a hangover, a bad one. His headache was killing him, the amount of papers on his desk was over towering him and he felt like he needed to throw up any minute.

"Troublesome" He said and sat down in the not so comfortable chair. He asked himself why he was stupid to drink last night, underage drinking was not something he would do normally. Hence he would admit he did had a shoot after a big meal here and then. Like all the other, but yesterday it went out of hand. Totally and he felt it in every bone today and believed he was not alone out there feeling like shit.

He frowned at his thought. Green. He remembered green. Green eyes. Thinking of to the girls he know with green eyes and instantly pleaded she was not the one. His thoughts trailed further to Naruto. It was not good to remember green eyes, even associating it with Naruto's crush was even worse. It was not good to remember at all. He rubbed his temples again. Thinking was no good; however his thoughts drifted to his awaking this morning.

_An aching head was bothering him and sat up slowly. Rubbing his temples slowly with a frown, but not at his headache more at his awareness of his surrounding and the state he was in. Nude in his bed, the room thick with sweat and sickly sweet of something he wished not to know._

_He tried to convince himself that it wasn´t what he thought it was. However it was what he thought it was._

_He had screwed a woman._

_Hell! How did that happen? Better, how did it happen?_

_Even the tiny bit of memory in his head, not washed away from the alcohol or hangover showed it to him. Hell, how did that happen? Shikamaru tried hard to remember, but doing so he felt like steam would find it´s way out of his ears from all the hard thinking. Even his hard thinking face grimaced into a frown and a heavy sigh escaped his lips. Both hands ruffling his hair; he was already tired of thinking. _

_He was not reasonable last night. He was not himself. Moreover who was the woman he was with? Again deep inside he hoped they didn´t do what he think they did. He desperately hoped he stopped before he had done something really dumb. However the longer he looked at the bits and pieces of the memory he only had, the last hope flew out of the window. He looked at his left hand, the one he used to comb again and again through the shoulder length hair? He did not even remember the colour of the hair, not the feeling of it. Was it silken, smooth?_

_Shikamaru shook his head, this was not the time to think about minor details. Still it bothered him that he could not remember a scent or smell. Nothing. There was only the picture fragments in his head in black and white._

_Maybe it was only a bad dream he had. But the lingering scent of sweat and sex in his room told him otherwise. He frowned again. _

_So the woman he screwed knows him, since she did left before he was able to regain his senses to be awaken from moving in his room, right next to him. She sure know. He sighed before another thought hit him like a express train. The blanket flew away, his feet toughed to wooden floor. His naked frame standing in the middle of the room, both hands pulling at his hair now very unlike him._

_"God damnit" he said._

_Sex._

_With a unknown woman and he wondered about some smell he forgot? There was something else he should remember for sure and didn´t. The only way to find out, searching and he did. Shikamaru started to search for evidence he hoped to find, he desperately hoped to find it._

_"Please..." he shook his blanket, looked under the pillow. In the room between wall and bed and there. There was it. And now he felt like crying. Relieve. He was relieved. At least far far back in his drunken mind, some reasonable person was still there and looked a the used condom wrapping. Where the used one was, he never found it. However he was somehow satisfied enough with that discovery and his tense body loosened a bit. _

"Mmhh" he hummed out, he had to stop and concentrate on work and while trying to do so, with the mountain of work he had, Ino had to bother him.

He likes her, hell their were friends and teammates and grow up together. However sometimes, he wished the girl would be male. It would solve so many problems. Like today when she just came in without asking.

"Shi - ka - ma -ru!" her sing sang voice hurt his head badly and the sunlight from the open door too.

"Ino..." it was a half greeting and half a growl.

"Wow, you sure a grumpy aren´t you?" she asked and took seat.

"How can I help you, I have tons-" he was not even able to finish his sentence.

"The party was fantastic yesterday!" she said in her cheery voice. "Kakashi-Sensei was embarrassing his poor team yesterday singing all the dirty songs. And..." he tried not to hear her which was rather hard with her cheery loud not indoor voice. Her words were ringing in his head.

"Ino" he said but she never seemed to take a breath between her sentences or even words she was saying.

"Ino..." he tried again.

"INO!" this time louder.

"Shikamaru hear me out!" she said and continued with her telling.

"INO!" the chair behind him fell over and startled the blonde woman. She started at him, both of his hands flat on his desk, looking down.

"What's with you?" she asked irritated.

"I have work to do" he said

"Nothing you can´t do while you listening to me" she said. A loud sigh was heard and he turned around. Pulling the chair up again and Ino continued her blabla but shrieked when she was grabbed by her wrist and was pushed out of the door to sit on her butt in the dirt.

"What the hell?" she barked.

"I need to work" the Nara offspring only said and the door slammed shut.

"It will be a long day" he sighed again and grabbed the first batch of papers...

The Saturday nights out were nice, it was something everybody does if there are able too. All of sudden, without any reason, 'Saturday Night out' was born for the younger generation. It was like a small time out, like for the older generation.

Sakura tried her hardest to get her work done by Saturday around lunchtime, she too like the Saturday night out. Ino does confirm with her nearly everyday if she would go with her to the small clubbing bar called 'Exit'. A very fitting name for the purpose.

The bar looked small from the outside, but it was not the case. There was round tables to the left and right, each with stools around them. In the middle was the so called dance floor, different colours of light enchanting it, music ringing in everyone's ears. The barkeepers would be behind the wooden bar, giving out the desired beverages; from a simple Soda to special Sake, wine, whisky and different shots.

Yes, Sakura loved Saturday nights out she would do what she did the last nights out.

_Dancing._

Theoretically dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. Dance is also used to describe methods of non-verbal communication between humans or animals.

For her it was the way to talk, using her body to talk calling out what she was not able to say since the one she wanted to talk to did not want to hear. The music flooded her body, her moves were automatic. Moving back and forth, up and down, turn around. Her hands up, down, to the side; moving freely and sometimes wild without any handicap.

For bystanders they would describe her a bit drunk, nevertheless it seemed like art in which there is rhythmic movement of limbs, hands, face, body in tune with a music or concept. For her it is just a way of expression of happiness, joy or sadness, anger and frustration.

It was like a drug to her, she needed every Saturday around the same time to be sky high for the next few hours until the morning dawn came and she was able to forget the pain she hold within.

_How did it ended in that kind of conversation? She had a hard time to approach him after her first 'Saturday Night out'. She had no idea how to start a conversation with him and a week had gone by without talking to each other. However Naruto did not came by either. So it was equal guilty on both sides, no drama. And then there was the stupid drink game they played. A bowl filled with all the girl and boy names'. Next to it was a glass filled with neon green liquid, black smoke emerged from the glass and sometimes a bubble popped._

_It was an easy game. Drink the glass and you are good. If you don't drink it, grab into bowl and get kissed. The catch, you may pull out the same gender; and most of the guys do not want to kiss a guy. So they ended up drinking the green beastly liquid and nearly fainting from the strong alcohol in it and the might disgusting taste. The Games ends when the big bottle was empty, and it could take the whole night._

_Naruto was slightly sluggish from his third green shot he got, he did not wanted to kiss a guy. He would rather die. Sakura had no problems at all, all her pull outs were girls so far. Kissing Ino was not the problem, even Tenten was not a bother. Also the cheering from the boys seeing two girls kiss, made even her laugh. _

_Men are so easy to please sometimes._

_But when a male tried to kiss her due to his pull out, Naruto interrupted shortly after the lips touched. His eyes icy for a moment, his grip iron on her arm. She was startled, like the one who kissed her._

_"Don´t" he said to her_

_"Don´t what?"_

_"I don´t like it"_

_"Like what?" she asked dumbly._

_"Kissing someone" her eye brows knitter a bit. She was a bit irritated. They haven´t talked all week and now he made a scene? What the hell? However wasn´t that a good sign?_

_"What do you like then?" she was not sure if she should have asked. He just dragged her away, pushed her against the wall and smashed his lips to hers, boldly. Something he would never do or she allow. However here there were, kissing like no tomorrow. It was fiery hot and let the temperature rise some degrees. In the end nothing else had happened, just the kiss and the next time they saw each other they had a fight._

Naruto was sitting in the corner, drinking some sake. First he didn´t wanted to go anywhere today but in the end he went along with Sai, who was desperate to polish up his social skills all of sudden. Now he watched Sai trying to have some conversation with a girl he never saw before and somehow it went well enough that the girl hadn´t tried to escape him yet.

For him it was not a good evening. The week was long. He was tired and angry. '_Angry at her'._ His eyes never left her moving, how smoothly she moved with the rhythm to the music. The slightly longer hair swayed, the hips rolling here and then. How green her eyes were in the illumination, how the tiny being seemed like from another planet to him. However he was angry, so angry he was not sure why he was angry. Nevertheless he was angry and he was not able to stop that feeling. Out of the blue they had a fight, really out of nothing. The first time he was so angry at her he was ready to slap her across the face.

"_Maybe it wasn´t a dream" Sakura said carefully, he was angry. He had heard her; even it was only above a whisper. However with her words, he let his hands sink, his body stiff, his eyes somehow all off sudden icy blue. Should he laugh at the irony? Maybe it would be better than what he did when he decided against it._

"_Don´t joke about that." he said, also only above a whisper. Nobody heard them. But from afar you could see how angry Naruto was. _

"_I-" she started but he stopped her saying more, his hand in front of her face. Letting her know, no more._

"_I may be dense, stupid or whatever" He hushed out. "But that isn't a funny topic to joke about. And you already lied to me knowing my feeling to you anyway… that´s not fair or nice anymore… you make me angry saying things like that…" his voice fade and his hand going down. Naruto made himself clear once. _

_"I love you" There he just said it, but never looked at her face when he said the words he desperately tried to hide away. It was for her sake. Now he had said it, but he didn't want it to brake the friendship he cherished so much. He won´t let her feel guilty about it, like she shouldn't be guilty about it to love Sasuke. _

_"This is going to be the one time and only times I'll say it. I won´t say it again" he knew that she wanted to say something; however he did not let her say anything at all. _

_"You can´t decide who you love; you can´t decide if its mutual or one-sided, but that's life." was the next thing he said. The angry feeling he had still hadn't subsided down. He will live with his solution and she had to do the same. It shouldn´t be hard for her to do so._

_"You love Sasuke, so never feel guilty about it - the only thing I ask is not to joke about what I feel." He really wouldn't ever ask anything too big from her after this. Only this. Lying to him or making jokes about what he feels is not an option to him, it was not fair. At least he should be allowed to dream. Dreams are there for you, to dream about what you cannot have._

"_Nar-" He took a step away from the girl. _

"_Just don´t" His look over his shoulder, into her eyes, made her freeze. He was sure he had never given a glare like this towards the girl before and he was not sorry about it. _

On another table the ice cubes moved from the left to right, then from the right back to the left; making soft clinging noises. Shikamaru stared at his empty glass, sighing and thinking to hard about the last weeks and wondered.

_A kiss._

_How does a kiss taste? It´s sweet. Like honey. A gentle touch of the lips with some hesitation on both parts as they touch. Slow, as if both are taking time to memorize the feeling they receiving. A warm fuzzy feeling starting in the middle of you, spreading like white angel wings. Charging you with some kind of electricity you never knew of. Leaving you with lingering for more, knowing it will never go out of fashion, wanting a kiss._

That was the description the girls would use to portray a kiss; though, this was no good. He was a guy and he would use the same lame sappy description of a kiss like a schoolgirl in love. Before he was sure that the male population wasn´t that sappy about kisses and love, however he was, so the other male population in this world lie about being sappy? It was the only solution to him; no wonder women tell them men are sometimes lying pigs. Really, no wonder. If they lie about sappiness and feelings.

He did not like to admit it, he was sappy. Too sappy for his liking. Nevertheless here he was, love stuck or whatever it was called or better hung over a damn kiss he received due a stupid drunken game.

Even worse, it was not a girl he ever thought he might kiss on purpose or accident one day.

Not that he don´t have contact with girls, it was just. Unreal?

Temari is somehow to his liking. She is strong, but three years older. Her point of view is already different as his. With her being 19 and him only 16 he was not boyfriend or husband to be material. Not that he cared.

Ino is a no go for him. _Totally_. She has good points, like her well developed front and her clan knowledge. His father would love to see his son marry the daughter of his best friend and teammate. However for him Ino was not an option, not now or ever. She is far too noisy, troublesome and once again noisy.

Shiho likes him. He knows, the woman was not able to hide her blush or do not know of her looks she was giving him. Also he had no idea how old she was, maybe far older than him or the same age? He does not care. She was not his type.

Sakura was something he never thought of. She was a Sasuke fan-girl, like Ino. Moreover she was a small Shinobi. She seemed tiny between all the big guys and when you look at her the only thing remarkable is her bright pink hair she has. Most guys would look away after seeing her tiny being, no big boobs and seemingly nothing else to offer. However if they underestimate her they would be punched into the next tree without even knowing what happened to them. Being mean, she could be, but afterward, she would heal them to the same pattern again.

However now he felt like he was brainwashed over night with something he never seek out before. He had known of its existence, the basic knowledge that it was shared between lovers or not. However it has never crossed his mind, he would kiss anyone anytime soon or worse wanting to kiss at all. Now he was sitting here, remembering the kiss he shared due a stupid game. It left a lingering feeling, charged him up and was sweet like honey.

_The paper read 'SAKURA' and here was only one who had the name. The one and only Sakura Hurano, the medic prodigy - scary lady while angry. The announcer called her name out loud, some laughed, other shrieked and other whistled about the announcement._

_The girl itself made her way towards him, a big smile her face. On her cheeks blush from the heat and alcohol. Her eyes a bit hazy due to her obvious drunken state, he was sure he wasn´t looking better._

_The audience already shouting "kiss - kiss - kiss" and her slender hand touched the neck of his. He felt like a deer caught in the headlights, he felt like he needed to escape. It was not good for him what will await him, he was sure and her rose lips touched his. Moving slowly against his and he reacted without knowing. It was something else and was stunned, the kiss ended abruptly. He felt like he was now cheated out of a good time, and he was, wasn´t he? _

_However Sakura had an indifferent look in her eyes asking the interrupter why he interrupted. The next thing he saw was that Naruto dragged Sakura somewhere out of his eyesight and he was left behind with a feeling he never knew of._

His eyes dared to search for the girl, he found her. Moving smooth to the music and he felt like he was in the out space. Weightless and too happy to know how happy he actually was only from looking at her.

Yeah he was love stuck. It hit him out of nowhere and he was not able to run and hide.

Yes indeed. Only weeks later there was no place to run or hide anymore.

He never thought that a women barfing over his sandals would change his live forever.

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><p>Beta Reader: <strong>xXChirushiXx <strong>- Thank you!

Link: .net/u/2933591/

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><p>Visit me - <strong>Junablossom<strong> - on devianArt

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><p><strong>Updates<strong>: Hopefully weekly, depends on our School/University workload.

**Please**: Review too to help erasing mistakes and support.

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><p>I hope you did enjoy my story.<p>

_Junablossom_


	5. Chapter 05

**Note: please read first!**  
>This chapter had no BETAREADER, so you will find grammar mistakes. I am sorry about that. However I was asked to update and I really want to update no matter what, after such a long time. So I apologize about the grammar mistakes beforehand: sorry!<br>I am searching currently for a new one, however it is not as easy at is seems to find someone willingly... my Betareader vanished, I still hope she will be back and we are able to work together again. Until then the following chapters will be like this with no correction.

So, please bear with the non corrected version of this chapter.

Thank you

PS: Do not forget this is a Drama story. No Sakura bashing or something like that. Have the description of this story in mind or read the notice in chapter 04.

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><p><strong><em>.<br>_**

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><em>**

**_If we keep treating our most important values as meaningless relics, that's exactly what they'll become._**

**_~ Michael Josephson_**

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The late May sun was high in the sky in that beautiful morning. The birds were chirping happily, it had rained a little last night. Freshen up the already too hot season a bit. The smell of the fallen rain still lingered in the air. Her windows were wide open, the soft wind let her half see through green curtains wave a bit back and forth. The alarm clock told it was 06:47 AM. Exactly 13 minutes before the shrill sound of the alarm will be heard off, waking the happy asleep person. Her hair was tangled in all direction, her small feet weren't under the blanket. One arm was under the pillow, the other lay lazy at her side while she was sleeping on her right side. Such beautiful mornings were a blessing, allowed to sleep until seven in the morning, starting the shift at 08:30AM, ending when nothing outrageous happens at 08:30 PM. She loved that shift, no sleepless nights over too much coffee in the coffee kitchen. Or waking up in the middle of the night to go to work. Really it was pure heaven, the only disturbing in her new found heaven was the rude awakening she got regular in the mornings.

Her eyes snapped open, her blanket flew off, her naked feet let her rush out of her room.

It was the worst morning she had in a long time. She nearly ran her father over when she rushed to the toilet to empty her empty stomach. She grimaced and felt like she need to puke again after smelling the throw up. Oh how she hate nausea. She washed her face with cold water afterwards, tried to wash the taste out of her mouth. What had gotten into her? Was it the amount of Dango she ate last evening after her shift in the hospital? She knows, eating such a big amount could upset her belly later on. However she was so damn hungry she did not care one bit yesterday and ate for three people. Sakura walked sluggish into the kitchen, her father already eating and her mother with a worried look.

"Are you ok honey?" her warm hand touched her forehead, like back then when she was a small child.

"Yes, only too many Dango yesterday…" Sakura tried to explain her nausea.

"Hmm hmm" her mother only said and gave her a big cup tea, her mothers special recipe, or so she was told from her.

"Drink up, it will ease you stomach" Sakura smiled, she was a medic for heavens sake. However something which would never change in this household, no matter how strong she got she was the little child for them, and it will stays like that forever it seems.

"Take care of yourself" it was her father "It is the third time already you puked in the morning, it can´t be good. You work too much" he assumed. She often comes home deadly tired, pale and looks like no energy was left in her.

"That´s not it" Sakura said between sips of her tea. Sometimes she had to use a lot of chakra in the daily hospital routine.

"I say you work too much my child"

"I really don´t…" really it wasn´t like that. She was really busy, it was white lies at home saying she wasn´t busy. She never stopped training while being stuck in the hospital and next to her work it was time consuming and frustrating, since she wants to be stronger as she already was. The goal was there, the way too - however her body refused? She had not idea why it was so hard to obtain a bit more strength, a bit more stamina or all better said, just a bit more of everything when another train of thoughts hit her like no other. It was the first time she actually thought about the puking rationally. Or batter dared to think about it again, she tried to ignore every sign of it. It worked perfectly for a while, however it caught up to her. Quicker than she liked, or ever wanted. It was unavoidable anyway but trying to avoid the unavoidable let her ease down for a bit.

"Honey?" her mother

"Ah yes?" she asks

"You didn´t answered" Oh? She was asked something? She cursed herself, drifting off when her parents looking with worry at her was not good.

"Oh ah sorry, I have to go" was her simple excuse, not letting them eyeing her with the questioning eyes and five minutes later she was off to the hospital, when her shift only begins in one hour. It was the same amount of time she only sat in her office to stare at the bright red plus on the plastic stick in her hands.

_It was not true, wasn´t it?_

However the test said otherwise. She had diagnosed herself back then already, dismissing it and avoiding every thought of it, again her self analysis could be wrong. Her hand had glowed about 15 times over the same spot, only to have the same result. She wished she could lie about it, that it was not possible. With that excuse to show herself that she may was wrong, she took the standard pee test. However the bright red plus, too bright for her liking, screamed in her face that she was a very good medic and she did know what was the problem without peeing on the damn stick. She was even to determine on what day… not that she had to, since it was the only time she ever done it. Still… how unbelieving was that? Now that she really has to face it only one question came to mind: What now?

"Sakura-sama!" a voice called out while knocking at her door, quickly she shoved the stick into her pocket. Stopping her wondering what to do now about it, she had a job to do first she comes second.

"Yes?" she called out and the nurse reported to her...

.

.

Naruto tapped with his pencil on the paper, he should write a mission report. Somehow he was not able to concentrate. His mission was boring, really boring. He really was bored out if his mind the whole Mission. There was nobody to beat up, to capture or at least sneak up. Not that he was happy that there a bad people. Moreover it could lead to another war. However he was itching to beat somebody up, it was like a small urge. Maybe it was because he was frustrated that even his daily amount of training won´t help against it. However that was a whole another problem. Back to his boring Mission, he had left with Kiba and Hinata to deliver some scrolls and other stuff to Suna and they were already back.

The travel to Suna was about two and half of a day, no complications. He had to admit it was good to see Gaara again and the siblings but they stayed only for the night and went off again. At least the dinner was a feast and he stuffed himself without hesitation, and was able to talk to his heart content. Since the travel back to Konoha would likely as the travel from Konoha to Suna. Boring as hell.

He had cursed silently hours alter, since he had predicted the obvious. Silence was all they had while travelling, and him being a chatterbox... he was bored as hell. Hinata was like a foreign person to him, she seemed avoiding him and her lips were sealed shut. No word escaped her, only the formal greeting to Gaara, nothing else. Not saying anything the entire time makes even him worried, he knew she was not known to be talkative person. However that was something else and he had no idea why. As for Kiba, the poor guy was not sure of being attentive to his teammate or use the boring travel time to fool with him instead. Akamaru had whined only once or twice. In the end, Kiba stayed with Hinata in silence and he was doomed to travel in silence too. That had left him to his own thoughts, meaning his angry thoughts had enough room to roam.

Naruto sighed, he wished he was able to look at all from afar. Seeing everything clearer and collect himself, since he was not able to do so. He had no idea why, he was sure he was in love with her? More than sure, on the other hand he hates her about the same amount at the moment. How did that happened, he did not know either. He was only sure about one thing, it was not able to be like that. It irritates him, hurt and bothered.

Moreover playing and fool him, was nothing he was able to accept. He had not seen what kind of woman Sakura was behind his pink coloured glasses of love? Moreover he was known to know people hearts in the end, somehow he failed with Sakura? It seemed like that.

Anyway he was more than irritated, was that the feeling of being in love in an one-sided love?

Was that coming out of age, being an adult? He did not want to be a kid anymore but somehow being and adult was not all fun like he thought it would be.

.

.

Shikamaru rubbed his neck, chills had run down his spine all day. It was like someone was watching him, but there was nobody? Or like something bad will happen? He had no idea, he was not at ease, not at all and was not able to settle down on his desk. Later he had given up for the day with a frustrated sigh, grabbed the pack of cigarettes and went off.

Slowly he walked around the streets. The ones he designed with help of a team. It was his brainwork he was walking on. His ideas were formed from dust to all that he was able to see now and all that what was not seen at the moment, like the depth of the Village right under his feet. Nobody would suspect that Konoha had built some levels under the surface. Only selected staff is allowed there or even know of it, he does not like everything what will take place down there. Nonetheless it was necessary for the survival of this Village and he will be dammed if he won´t help with it. However he hoped, one day it may be not necessary anymore. No more sacrifices, death, destruction for the small peace they tried to hold in their hands. It was hard to achieve, to maintain and to protect but he will try with his own two hands, his family, his friends, beloved and all the others. He inhaled the smoke deep, letting it out again. He was addicted now, he likes to smoke now and has no intention to stop smoking. His eyes looked around, the streets were busy in the late afternoon. Kids running around, Academy already done for the day.

It was good to look at, at the happiness of the people. Some may never know what horrors they went through, that they would be able to laugh that happily in the streets of Konoha like they do now. He will never blame them, how could he? They weren´t at fault and never will be. At fault were the freaks who wants to destroy and kill innocents, letting blood rain down onto the country. One day, he assumed, he would die like the others on a Mission, or on the Battlefield. He does not know and he does not want to know, he only knew if he won´t grow old and die from old age he will surely die to protect his Village and his beloved ones. A hero's death many say so. Something he did not like in a way, however he had to acknowledge dying to protect the ones you love was honourable. Yes, it will be ok, won´t it? There won´t be any regrets then, right? He sighs out loud, he should stop this depressing thoughts. It was not helping, he was not at ease at all and now falling into depressing thoughts would make it worse.

He stopped in the small park next to the Academy, freshly reopened. A bit bigger than the old one and not far away was the Orphanage. Bigger and better, something Naruto asked him to do and he did. Or better he was not able to decline such a request. Many parents had died, left behind their precious kids they tried to protect with all they had. Being an orphan shouldn´t mean you are a "lesser" person, a bad person or dirty person. Life should go on for them with the amount of happiness that they do not have to cry or be ashamed being parentless. He understood Narutos request very well, even when he never was an orphan himself.

The reconstruction of Konoha was nearly done. Only minor works was left, thank to all the hands that had helped. Furthermore the Jutsu from Yamato was helping a big time. Everything seemed to be back on its feet and the wound of the war was healing accurately. As far as he was able to tell. The happiness overweight's the sadness.

The mission rooster was enough filled, Ninjas were sent out, the borderline was save. The trade went on, food was not the issue and the politics were calming down. All in all they made it. They really had made it and life will go on, till next time they have to face war again.

.

.

The last days of May went by and June was there. The temperature was some degrees higher than in May and rain will be less in the following weeks before the hottest weeks will come and no rain will fall. The shadow under trees were used by all. Enjoying the warmth in the shadow without getting a sunburn. Some were reading, others resting or eating or just sleeping. Peaceful days indeed. Her hospital work was not terrible, also not completely peaceful. Here and there bloodied squads arrived in the middle of the night. It may be a peaceful time after the war, it sure does not mean it was really peace at all. There are still the "daily" enemies they have to hold back. She had patched Kakashi already three times up while he only shrugged and she was only able to frown at him. Sai was somehow a regular patient of hers too, cuts, bruises and a broken rip last time. Every time he came to her, he looked tired. Some shadows under his eyes, his hair neglected had grown longer every time she saw him and reminding her of a specific person. He also only shrugged her questions off and she did frown at him too. She was worried. Her sensei was out to a Mission right away when he was back, not caring about a clean health bill and Sai looks like he was walking on the last strain of energy too often. As for Naruto, she did not know. He avoided her like a deadly illness. Nevertheless... what was going on out there? She did not know, they won´t answer and she was doomed to hospital work alone at the moment. Tsunade needed her in the hospital more than in the field, it frustrates her sometimes. She was happy to help, however being reduced to being a "doctor" alone was never her lifetime wish. Others would be happy with the position she gained, for her it was only stop to somewhere else.

She sighed and combed her hair in front of the mirror in her room, to the left was an invitation to Nejis birthday. It was delivered from some errand boy of the Hyūga. It will be a formal official festivity, she already disliked the very thought of it and twisted her slightly longer hair together and patched somehow everything with a hair clip together that it looked neat enough. Some shorter strains fell out right away, there will only help the small pins and the famous hair spray, and she worked her way through all the stains. After a while she looked satisfied enough when her mother rushed into the room, just back from her job in the library.

"Honey"

"Mum..." Sakura breathed, her mother was making a big fuss out of this invitation. She had said to her it was an honour to be at the party and a good opportunity to show herself to some single men, maybe a husband will be found. Sakura had only sighed and given up to talk her mother out of it, let her delude herself. However the beautiful new Kimono was something else, her mother had bought it for her with the words 'the old one will not do'. Her mother must have paid a fortune for this fine cloth. She was sure it may was even a whole fortune. It was from fine silk in white, from the left to the right cherry blossoms were seen, her obi was the pale pink. Something pinched her hair and she saw that her mother had put a beautiful flower pin in her hair.

"Mum..."

"Hush" she breathed out and dusted her face with some powder, forced some pale pinkish lipstick on her lips and only a bit of mascara.

"Done" she said happily and Sakura had to say, her mother knows what she does. The make up was soft, since she disliked it anyway. Her eyes glowed a bit more with the now darker eyelashes, the powder let her look more flawless in the face and the pale lipstick fitted perfectly. The Kimono was beautiful, like the hairpin. She was not able to complain.

"You look beautiful" and helped her down the stairs, helping her putting the traditional wooden Geta* on. Just when she was done, her father opened the door, he looked within a moment like he wanted to cry. The typical 'my little girls grown up tears'. However he got his posture back.

"Your friend is here" he announced and Sakura smiled brightly at her father.

"Thanks Dad" and he mumbled something like 'You look beautiful' on her way out.

He had hold out a hand, very unlike him and helped her down the two stairs.

"Good evening" she greeted him

"Good evening" Sai greeted back. She has no idea what crazy idea had gotten into her to go with him to the party, however he was the best solution that she won´t need to attend alone and he was ever so friendly with her. Even her pleading that he has to dress accordingly does not went on deaf ears. He indeed took it to heart, or better sucked the information in and used it. She was not sure, it does not matter. Anyway he was dressed in the male version of a Kimono. Against all odds it was not black or even grey, it was dark blue with a dark red belt. On the left side some red prints, looking like triangles found its way up. He also wore the Tabi* and Zori*.

For a moment she was proud of herself, she was able to make Sai into a decent person? That would be awesome. The only problem remaining was the time when he opens his mouth... She smiled.

"You seem happy?" he asked her, she had linked her arm with his, happy with his support. The damn Geta bothering her already.

"Yes I am"

"How so?" his next question

"You are dressed properly, like the invitation asked. Somehow I feared you were not able to make it" even she could see the surprise in his face, something new to her. His unfazed features were less, he showed slowly what was going on within him - known or unknown to him. It did not matter, it was refreshing and good to see he was not a emotionless puppet. Moreover it helped to understand him better and she was less angry at him, since she was able to read out of the expression of his a bit or better help out then.

"I am that unreliable?" Sakura laughed at this.

"You are learning to be reliable Sai, you are learning to be" and Sai still did not know what to think of that and did what he only was able to do, look ahead while walking with her and thinking about her words. Sakura glanced up to him. The boy had grown too, he was inches higher than she anyway but now the gap grows again. His neglected his hair too like her since the day of war, about five month amount did it grow out. He had used some hair gel to comb it back, the long stains of his hair in a 'ponytail' high at the back of his head, the rest loose down, some strains left and right to his face. All in all, he was today a good looking person. Still pale, however good looking person and reminding her again of someone. Sometimes he looks at her when she thinks that and she had the feeling like he was then saying to her, I am not him.

At the Hyūga Mansion they were greeted politely and lead into the big hall, were the big 'greeting' and the political stuff was hold, in the middle the birthday person. The Hyūgas had changed, Hinata and Neji made them change and see more than only the Main house and the Branch one. Time will heal the rift between the two houses and they may be one 'family' again.

His birthday was used to show the change. Neji, now 18 years old and was celebrated like a celebrity and showed off that it is possible to have both houses together again. If he did enjoy such a party for the obvious or not, she could not tell like the others. Like other guests both of them congratulated him and handed the present Sai was carrying with them. Not far Sakura heard Naruto laughing loud and her body went stiff, Sai raised an eyebrow at her however lead her another way to get something to drink. He read a book to be a Gentleman and he tried to be attentive of Sakura, since she was his 'date' for this evening. He may learn a lot thanks to that evening and her, since he already learned a good amount from her.

First he wanted to despite her a bit, because of what happened in the Land of Iron and Naruto. However with everything else, it was the opposite, he was not able to hate her not with all he knew what he should not know and still know and she did for him.

"Here" Sai handed her a glass of juice.

"Thank you" she said and did not bother that he indeed give her juice. Both sipping slowly the drinks.

"See the green haired woman?"

"Yes"

"What do you think she is doing?" Sai observed for a moment

"Slutty" he said, ah yes the joy of having Sai with her and his bad mouth.

"Yeah nail on the head..." Sakura laughed and that kind of game went on, they did it the park too. Or when they walk together somewhere. He improved with his guessing a lot. The game went on until they were asked to sit down for the dinner. Sakura had already a bad gut feeling and she was right about that, right next to her a very well known blond male sat down. It was his appointed seat, Kakashi was next to Naruto. And the big tension was in the air, oh joy it would be a wonderful evening, won´t it? On the other side of the table found Shikamaru his way to his seat and sat down. Ino was chatting with Lee to her left and Sakura caught the words "awesome" "youthful" "eternal spring time" and more stuff like that, she had to blend them out before her brain would be overloaded with too much youthfulness. Kakashi and Gai had the typical rivalries even while eating and drinking, it was refreshing and ridiculous at the same time. Sai observed everything the whole evening. Later she caught herself listening to Naruto and Shikamaru conversation, surprisingly about some political stuff, stuff which normally bored Naruto out of his mind.

She tried not to glance sideways, however she did here and then. He too was dressed formal. Something she never thought she may saw him wearing. The colour was deep forest green, with no prints, as far as she was able to tell while sitting. Sometimes she caught the glaring of him at her. Ashamed being caught she avert her eyes. With him being angry at her, she was feeling like he was another person she never knew off. It bothered her, it hurts too and many other things.

She sighed silently, she had other problems to attend. The biggest in her life at the very moment. An angry Naruto was not the biggest problem, however a hindrance. Anyway she needs to talk about it, there was no way out of it anymore. She had decided alone, egoistical that she would never ever stop her pregnancy. Not on her own free will and as long mother nature let her she will have this child, for everything else... she not a medic for nothing!

How many days had it been since her discovery, trying to grab the reality of it and came to the decision this baby will be now her life? Many days...

It was time to tell the dad to be, the only problem was, it won´t be that easy. She had the opportunity, however her mouth was shut to that kind of words. Even the attempt for asking to have an under four eyes conversation was not coming up. Nothing went they way is should. Whatever she feels, or whatever he feels. The first priority was this child, she was second - her feelings were second. That is what her mother talked about when she was small 'when you are a mother one day, your child will be your everything and everything else will be second'. Yes, it was exactly like that.

And there she was sitting, nursing another glass of juice after she turned down even Ino with the after food sake, the blonde had frowned at her nevertheless had gone off to wiggle between Kiba and Chouji. Filling cups eagerly and the drinking went on. Some speeches were heard. One more boring than the other one, however that was it about such an 'important' party of a well known clan. And what did she? She was debating the whole time how to start a conversation, being on a party was not helping. However it was the feeling like 'now or never'. The thing was, she was not able to move. It was like her legs were frozen on the ground, and her ass was glued to cushion she was sitting on.

Ino swatted Shikamaru again since he tried to lit a cigarette, telling him it will kill him off. Shikamaru only sighed and stood up and lit the cigarette while walking out into the backyard of the Hyūga household, which was pretty big. You are able to take a walk in it, even a pond was found in the middle with a red bridge over it. Many see roses where in the pond and some Kois glittered in the moonlight.

It was about Midnight when she thought she had the courage to move. Her ear rung all off sudden, Naruto was laughing his butt off with Kiba about something she has not heard. However his laugh was now ringing in her ear.

Hinata was looking at Naruto like a love sick puppy, reminding her how she must have looked at Sasuke back then. She sure must have been annoying like Sasuke had said. No wonder Naruto does not believe any of her words. Another sigh of hers. Some time later a waiter put some food down in front her and the others. The famous midnight snack before you go home, however she won´t eat any bite of it. The smell hit her nose, her face went pale all off sudden and her hand rushed up. With the amount of grace she was able to have, she stood up and marched quickly out in the big garden, the fastest way away from the ugly smell of fried octopus.

Shikamaru stood relaxed with his cigarette there, looking up to star filled night. No cloud was there and the moon was seen in his round form. Lighten up the dark night. It was peaceful, some crickets were heard and from the inside he heard the laughter and the music. The party was enjoyable only the –smoke outside rule from Ino- was not to his liking. Before she would punch one more time in his guts or swat his head he would go outside on his own free will. Shikamaru sighed when he heard quick walking behind him, before he knew it, the person rushed by him and stopped with an awful puking sound by the bush only two feet away from him.

"What the hell?" he muttered and watched the poor person puking the guts out. A small hand gold some strains of pink hair back and the other one over the belly.

"….urghs…." he heard and a shocked look must have been in his face when she looked sideways up to him asking "What?" in a really snappish voice. When did he walked up to her? He must have moved without him noticing.

"You should not drink?" he asked her slightly worried.

"I did not…" oh yes he remembered Ino babbling that Sakura indeed refused alcoholic beverages again like the last weekends and today too. The Nara offspring rubbed his neck in thoughts, forgetting his other thoughts he had back then about her. He came to the conclusion he was just sleep deprived and was not thinking straight and that was all what was it about. Nothing more nothing less. However, she sure does make it hard to forget some lingering he may have somewhere. She was extremely pretty today, extremely and rubbed his neck harder. It must be red by now.

"Then stay at home when you are ill" Sakura rubbed her mouth with a tissue she got out of nowhere.

"I am not ill" she snapped. Oh yes, the hormones were starting to have their way with Sakura and Sakura knows it too and frowned at herself about her snappishness. However Shikamaru frowned at her too, what the hell? Puking and not being ill? What kind of situation would cause that? He looked at her pale face, she sure do looks ill now.

"Then why are you puking?" it was bothering him some shrill sound went off in his brain, and that means that was not good at all.

"I smelled fried octopus?" she asked him back and her hand roamed over her upset belly for a moment, her green hand trying to subside the nausea and walked off.

"Gosh…" she breathed out "I hope it will stop with the second Trimester" she said to herself not knowing he just followed her.

"Trimester?" he asked and she stopped stiff, her head whipped around. How dumb was she, not able to feel he was walking with her?

"…." nothing makes out of Sakura mouth.

"Trimester?" he asked again.

"Pretend that you heard nothing!" she said, maybe she should stop babbling to herself after puking it sure would help holding secrets to herself.

"How can I?" the shrill sound in his brain was nearly making him deaf now. It don´t take a genius to put some puzzle pieces together, or so he thought at least, and was getting the pieces of events with her small words quick together when he froze on the spot for a moment.

His arms shot up with the words "Oh my god! Oh my god!" and he runs circles like he fresh slaughtered chicken without head. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. Had he gone insane? She asked herself. Some genius gone mad, due to the geniuses. Maybe he was such a case?

"Shikamaru calm down?"

"Calm down?"

"Yes?" she asked him irritated.

"How can I calm down now?" he asked back.

"How can you not?" more irritation from her.

"Sakura… oh my god…" he breathed out.

"I am going inside" she just said.

"What no wait" and he grabbed her arm.

"Shikamaru… let go of my arm" but he did not let go of her arm.

"We need to talk about it" he explained, somehow calm now.

"Hm?"

"You...?" She looked at him, "Me?"

"Sakura… how can you be so calm?"

"Why shouldn´t I be?" she knows since forever about it and was in a way at piece at the live changing information even if she does not have a plan It will work out, was the mantra she told herself.

"You are friggin pregnant" Shikamaru said to her.

"…. Pregnant, not friggin pregnant…" she scolded him. Friggin pregnant would mean it would be a mistake, this baby my be was not planned, but never ever is a mistake. Not in a lifetime would it be a mistake.

"Yes! How can I calm down?" he asked her again.

"You should?" and tried to get her arm free.

"I can´t!"

"Why?"

"I got you pregnant and you ask me to calm down?" Sakura wanted to say something but another voice interrupted them.

"Sakura… chan?" both heads whipped to the side, they had not seen or hear him coming or the person next to him. Sai said nothing, he only watched.

"Naruto…" Sakura breathed out looking in his blue eyes. It was like the last piece in him shattered into thousand tiny pieces.

"Congratulations" he said, smiling. A smile that won´t reach his eyes and turned around brushing past Sai, and Sai sighed. That was for sure not a good situation, is it able to get more twisted like that?

"Naruto wait" she called out to him. Her heart ached.

"Don´t" he said and vanished out of sight.

"Sakura…." Shikamaru pleaded too.

"You... youuu... YOUUUU!" nothing else got past her lips. Now the messed up is more messed up. She thought for a second and followed Naruto. Shikamaru wanted to follow too, only to run into a wall named Sai with an angry expression on his face. Something he never saw Sai was able to express.

"Don´t" Sai said the so called genius.

"No she is... and I... and"

Sai pushed his fist hard onto Shikamaurs chest, throwing a telling look at him, telling him if he would follow her now, he would make sure he is not able to walk or follow her...

She was running down the street, not sure if that was the way he took. Forgotten the Geta, only in her socks. In her hand to pushed up fabric of the Kimono. Her heart beating loud and fast in her chest, she just rushed the streets and her eyes caught the person she was searching for.

"Wait" she called out, she saw him stiffen, however moving on.

"Let me talk to you" she pleaded.

"For havens sake" he shouted, stopping and turning around. "I´m sick and tired of it" she stopped two feet away from him, frozen on the spot. "I asked you to stay away" he said calm. Yes he did, he was angry with her about whatever reason.

"I needed to think" he added "I don´t want you pity or an apologize. I do not need it or want it" her eyes were teary now.

"Naruto please hear me out!" she begged, trying to move towards him.

"Believe it or not" he started "I don´t want to hear or see you" that hurt. It hurt into new found depth she was not used to, it pierced her with an ice cold spear. Letting her freeze in the inside.

"Please" daring touching his sleeve

"I won´t" he said darkly, it was his conclusion about her. "I just won´t" it was bitter, her touch loose on the sleeve but grabbed his arm.

"Naruto" she said strongly. So many things had gone wrong. So many. She should have talked to him right away.

She wanted to see him. Badly everyday. However the days ticked by she denied herself and afraid of his anger, she delayed it again and again. Now there were like this before something even started, this is the dilemma of it.

"I won´t" he said again, trying to shake her hand of his arm. "Let got" he said calm.

"No" she cried

"Let got" he said again

"I won´t" she breathed out.

"Don´t" she pleaded "Leave me" Naruto shudder. His eyes narrowed. The fake confession, her jokes, her words. All for her own benefit. She was left behind by Sasuke in a way, which will haunt her till the day she dies. That is a kind of feeling of betrayal that she will never forget, it will one day not hurt anymore, it will be only a sad memory of her young days.

Like she will be one of his. He didn´t know when it would be like this for him. It will hurt like hell, it will haunt him in his dreams. Nevertheless he needed to let go, he needed to. Or he will break more than he would be able to repair.

He could jump at the chance, but he won´t. He will not play the part of the Fixing-Sakura-up-project. He don´t have the strength. With all this, his frustration, hurt, tears in him. The bottled up feeling. It had turned into anger, anger against her for behind the one who caused it. Furthermore he slashed out, even when he didn´t wanted to or intended too. It was never his intention to hurt her, but maybe it was the only way for her to understand what he wants. Moreover her condition on top, she still wants to beg him for something or anything?

"Enough" his voice dark "Let go" he said again, she shook her head. His hand grabbed hers hard, hurting her hand while he gets it of his arm. She tried to grab his arm again. He didn´t let her. He turned around, to leave her behind, making slow steps away.

"Please" her voice pleaded him again and again, made him even angrier. Why didn't she get it?

"Don´t" her arms flew around his frame from behind, let him stop. She was shaking, he felt it. He heard the faint voice of her pleading 'Don't leave me' he was shaking too with anger.

"I said let go" but she didn´t.

"Hear me out" she begged again. He pushed her off, slowly. Turning around, looking in her tear struck face. Almost he felt guilty, only almost. "Please hear what I have to say" Naruto pushed her a bit away from him.

"Save it" he said to her.

"Why?" she asked. "Why won´t you hear me out, for the important thinks I have to say" Naruto sighed.

"Because it won´t change anything" more tears fell down. Her eyes puffy and red, he frame smaller than everybody was used to.

"I love you" she cried. These were the words he wanted to hear the most, however there was not way of trusting them. She got herself pregnant and ask him to believe?

"Do us both a favour" Naruto said to her "And forget the crazy idea about you and me" saying this even stabbed him. It was the last pain he would take, afterwards he would heal. Heal all the pain of love.

"Naruto" He was already walking away from her, "Please" She had begged him more "Hear me out". Her heart aching with every step he made away from her. Was he still thinking that she is doing this intentionally? Sakura thought, That she was standing here to hurt him? She knew he was hurt; that his heart ached just likes hers. She understood that his sadness and hurt had turned into anger.

"I will say it once again" Naruto said, his back to her. "I don´t want to hear it, just because you would feel better." He started to walk again.

"Please" Her voice made him walk quicker. "Why" she asked, still following him "Why not believe me?" This got the better out of him; his eyes filled with anger his, body stoic. He turned around, his face wild.

"I won´t be the one you use to get over Sasuke" He said "I will never ever play this part, because it will shatter me in the end!" His voice got louder with every word.

Her cheeks were red like her puffy eyes, her tears were falling down. His words hurt her. They were breaking her. Why? Why did he not want to believe? Yes, she was not the nicest person to him. She used his feelings to stop him to go after Sasuke. That was wrong, but it would not change the fact in her life now. The very true fact.

"Believe me" She pleaded again. "Everybody grows up from faded crushes!" She wiped the tears from her face with her hand.

"Yeah-" He whispered his eyes full of emotion "-and I just did from mine" She froze right on the spot, not able to say anymore. It was too hard to believe, that he would ever say something like this; to end something that could turn into something big and beautiful.

"I did but you did not" He said and turned his head back around, leaving Sakura behind, crying with the silent plea for him to stay and believe her, but he would not because he was hurting more than she was. No more, he made himself clear. He was not able to take more of her, he was sick of her and he needed to get away from her. She had to understand that but she had made the experience a painful one by her own doings.

She stumbled a bit, fall to her knees. She only wanted him to stay. She only wanted him to hear her out. To see and believe.

He needed to know, but he didn´t wanted to.

He didn´t wanted to hear even one word from her.

She knows if she just blurred out the words, nothing will be achieved. That her actions make him see, her trying would change his mind and hear her out. However the fading Naruto in the distance showed her clearly he was not interested in the slightest. It does not matter what was with her, or not. He was beyond her reach. She knows now. He didn´t want to believe they would be possible. He don´t want her, since she should stay the love sick girl of Sasuke.

Sakura sat in the dirt, crying silently while staring in the direction Naruto had vanished.

Sai was standing there for some time, maybe a hour or so. He was not able to tell, however the slight chill in the middle of the night let him move. One arm went around her, the other under her knees and scooped her up. Her head rolled onto his shoulder like a soulless puppet. He frowned and took off with her in the middle of the night...

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.

He leaned in the window frame, it was wide open. Letting the fresh breeze inside, chill down the heated room. The walls were faintly beige, with a light brown hem at the bottom of the wall. The floor tiled with light brown tiles, like the hem. The desk behind him in a rich brown colour, the seat behind it occupied. Some pictures on the wall, all the deceased Hokage of the Village. The most important was the big scroll on the wall "The Will of Fire".

His eyes sucked in the beautiful sunset. How the orange and red colour let the Village glow in homely warmth. The Village he loved so much. It was back on its feet again, from some rubble back to its glory. Bigger and better than before. He worked hard too, tried to help everywhere he was able to and was satisfied with his handy work.

His arms were crossed over his chest and he was aware that someone was looking at him, waiting for whatever he was here for.

Tsunade couldn´t help but see the undeniable resemblance to the deceased Yondaime. How much he actually does looks like him, how underneath Kushina was glowing through all the inheritance Naruto got from his Father. She felt like she has missed out that the boy had grown again within a blink of an eye without her noticing. The pants seemed a bit shorter on his legs like last time, his figure a bit leaner like when she really looked at him. His hair maybe about half an inch longer. All in all it was nothing much. However the way the setting sun was illuminating him in orange and red, letting him glow. Showing her that indeed there was a bright future ahead. When he would step into the footsteps of his father. It was long forgotten that he was the Jinchuriki, nobody looks at him anymore with hatred, fear or avoids him. It was blown out of the minds of the Villagers, but all knew they will be reminded of it one day again.

That day will be the day when fate will decide if Naruto was meant to be Hokage, it was not in her hands or in the ones of his friends.

Naruto was standing there for a long time, she had forgotten how long. She had hushed Shizune out, when he came with a look in his eyes she never wanted to see but knows. She had let go of her paperwork, not that was a problem for her to 'rest' from it. At the moment she just watched him standing there, waiting for him to be ready to speak up. Even if she knew what that will be all about. She had prepared for it, just in case, and her feeling about it didn´t betrayed her.

"Granny?" he said more to the sunset as to her. Slowly his head turned a bit to the side, catching her watchful eyes onto him.

"I presume you want something?" the Hokage asked the obvious. He nodded ever so slowly with his mind set. It was time, she knows too. Although it was hard to accept that this boy did grow so much and will step into adulthood in no time or already has without them knowing.

"I like to request to leave for-" her hand went up.

"I know" she said with a slight sad face. "You like to go on a –find myself journey- to mature and grow up" she smiled.

"I wouldn´t have said something like that..."

"But in the end it is the same" he nodded then again slowly feeling like he need to explain himself under her strong gaze on him.

"My hasty behaviour will cut my head off one day, I have to fix that. And I need to understand more about the boring political stuff, books are may enemies so learning first hand would be the best for me. Also I hope to make some new awesome ass-kick Jutsus..." and he fell silent for a moment. His thought taking him somewhere else.

"I just need to go..." he only said, nothing more, nothing less. Letting out some other hurtful events of his, the other part why he wanted to journey around like his dead Master did.

Silence was met between them for a while. Tsunade moved, the chair making soft noises when he was left behind. Her heels making click sounds when she walked over to the window to join him. Her eyes watching the last piece of sunray vanishing behind the mountains.

"He will come at us again Naruto…" her voice concerned. "And we have no idea when" her fingers grabbing harder on the window frame

"I know, even more… I need to…" how to say. Stronger, better, better-better, even much better, even much stronger. That he need to calmer more collected? More mature then? He knows, even when nobody said anything to him. He understands perfectly when his beloved Village was crushed to pieces and they still made it somehow. He knows, yes he does. He still was far away from being able to be Hokage now. He wished it was not the case, however seeing how Gaara directed all his fellow Shinobi, the allied Shinobi and how he interacted in meetings and such he had understood he need to polish up when he want to be a respectful and strong Hokage for this Village. Only wanting to be was not protecting the Village, the beloved and all the others. With all the blood he had seen on the battlefield, all the sacrifices for peace, he was even more agitated to be someone who does not need to sacrifice so many Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Friends or just beloved. He also understands his father more than ever. Why he had sacrificed his life for the Village, he was already on the same page as him - now he need to gain knowledge and strength and steel himself for the worst. He would rather die than let anything happen. It was an eye opener to some other things and let him decide and forget his emotional turmoil of his heart and the hurt which ragged through his whole being. However it would not change anything, he had a goal and he had to learn to how to live with that hurtful feeling or learning how to forget to be a bigger and better person.

"I will allow" Tsunade breathed out. She had heard that Naruto and Sakura are on very bad terms, she did not know why or anything about it. However it was enough to shook Naruto down to core and abandon her like a guilty traitor. She wished she was able to help there, but she won´t butt in. The signs of Naruto tells everybody who tried to mention Sakura to him, that he was ready to kill them if they would open their mouth. As for Sakura she looks every time on the verge of tears when she saw her, rushing by in the Hospital or just when she handed a report to Shizune. Her pale face worried her too. Whatever their problem was, it was nothing what could be solved right now. Maybe the distance heals whatever needs to be healed and they will talk it out later. Time will help them. However even she knows, time was something Shinobi do not have but she will pray for them.

"I will allow you" she said again, "But you will write EVERY week to me where you are" she insisted. "We- I need to know, when something happens, also every information you get when you catch something. You will stay far away from enemy territory, only in our allies you are allowed to walk freely around. When somebody catch you outside… I will personally beat you ass back here!" he smiled at her "Got that?" Naruto nodded. "As long as the enemy stay silent, I allow the time you need. The Akatsuki are down to Madara and Sasuke himself with some pawns. For now there is not threat. That is why I am able to let you do as you wish. When we will get notice of something like a 'threat' you will come back without opposing to it and when we need you, you will come... And I don´t like to be Hokage forever" her hand touched his shoulder, indeed he had grown a bit. "Got it?" she asked to make sure and he only smiled at her. His hand touching her hand on his shoulder. Somehow she just feels like a mother for moment.

"Yes" he answered and she only smiled back and handed him a small scroll without any words, he just took it with a small thanks.

"Be safe" she whispered

"I will" and then he left the office. It was the last time for years that she will see him, and it ached every day a little bit.

The man frowned behind his mask. The new information was disturbing and interesting at the same time. A new Prophecy, an one which could overrule the old one about the son of the Yondaime?

That would change the game completely. However if he will get his hands on it, the downfall of Konoha and the Shinobi world will be as good as done. His plan will be able to set in motion again.

"What will you do?" Kabuto asked, he still was with Madara. Patched up the beaten Sasuke, Madara and himself. They already had some fellow Shinobi working with them again, it was like Madara had a Plan B or even C when A was not successful. The biggest loss was the white Zetsus, however Kabuto already worked in his labs about that problem.

Clone with fresh material was not that hard, or better easier than to clone a person who was dead for a very long time. And he was only cloning some plants in the end. The DNA was fresh and he don´t have to 'make' it alive again. Nevertheless his big goal was to clone some specific person, one Konoha would be afraid to face. Damn that Kakashi and the damn Yondaime son Naruto. He would find a way to disturb their way of thinking and fighting, he sure will and they will go down the next time.

With the help of Madaras association and the people who get him everything he needs, he would success no matter what.

"I may have already an idea" and closed one scroll of his. With a flick of his hand a cloaked person arrived out of nowhere.

"Yes Master?" it was a rough voice.

"Go get me Sasuke-kun, I have a Mission for him" and the person vanished into thin air.

"Ah a Mission. Like to enlighten me?" the snake man asked.

"Just wait" Madara asked and like the cloaked person Sasuke was there out of nowhere. Grumpy like ever.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked

"I have a Mission for you"

"What is it?" Sasuke asked again, he hated delays and Madara roughly summed up what he information he had gained. Sasuke did not cared about it much until he got the following words "You will bring me the woman with the unborn"

This mission may change his point of view forever...

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><p>*Geta: These are the shoes made from wood. You know them from Jiraiya :-)<p>

*Zori: These are the traditional Japanese Slipper Sandals.

*Tabi: The socks while wearing Geta or Zori.

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><p>Visit me - <strong>Junablossom<strong> - on devianArt

You will find in my Gallery and Scrapbook stuff for True Lies and many other things :-)

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><p><strong>Please<strong>: Review too to help erasing mistakes and for support.

I hope you did enjoy my story.

_Junablossom_


	6. Chapter 06

**Note: please read first!**  
>This chapter had no BETAREADER, so you will find grammar mistakes. I am sorry about that. However I was asked to update and I really want to update no matter what, after such a long time. So I apologize about the grammar mistakes beforehand: sorry!<br>I am searching currently for a new one, however it is not as easy at is seems to find someone willingly... my Betareader vanished, I still hope she will be back and we are able to work together again. Until then the following chapters will be like this with no correction.

So, please bear with the non corrected version of this chapter.

Thank you

PS: Do not forget this is a Drama story. THIS IS No Sakura bashing or something like that. Have the description of this story in mind or read the notice in chapter 04.

Sorry the Word to format is not working for me... anyway please enjoy.

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><p>.<p>

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"_**Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. You're just passing it on to someone else."**_

_** Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven  
><strong>_

_**.  
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Touch.

Warm.

Kiss.

Embrace.

The warmth surrounding her whole being making her feel whole then...

Falling.

Cold.

Loss.

Ache.

She still feel the cold breeze of the night on her skin when he vanished into nothingness in front of her blurry vision.  
>She still feel the piercing ache in her heart from his words, knowing it was not his fault. However it ached all the same. Sai had taken her the night to his paint and cavern filled apartment. She remembered she awoke to the sound of the chirping birds and the sound of a brush moving on a cavern. Her nose was filled with the smell of fresh paint and the smell of his black coal ink. When she sat up he was standing on his small balcony, only in his pants, and his body was smeared with paint. Her red cried eyes watching him. He looked like he was in deep thought when he felt her eyes on him. They only stared at each other for a while, not saying anything before he simply offered her a cold cup of coffee.<br>Some days had gone by since then and it never stopped to feel like an unreal but real movie since Naruto had left the village and her behind.  
>Oh, she had cried so much one night when she was not able to hold it any longer, she had allowed herself to cry. She wished she was strong enough not to cry, but this time she let her strong self behind. For the few hours of weakness and crying over him blaming herself of being such a big fool and she rushed into work, without thinking twice. Research facility and the hospital filling any free hour she had. This way she was able to shut the noise from her thoughts and the outside world out and mostly of him. Being occupied let her stop thinking about him. A simple solution for her weak heart and the desire to cry out otherwise. For some more days it worked just like that. Hiding away from the world, working like a cloak work only get enough rest that it won´t hurt pregnancy. The white doc coat, two sizes bigger as normal, let her hide her growing belly.<br>Nevertheless it was only a question of time when she will be called out to field duty again. The day came faster as she wanted to, it would force her to admit to publicly that she is pregnant. She had entered the second trimester save, the nausea was gone. Only the slightly sleepiness clings to her like a parasite. However she will manage that. She won´t be able to hide her swelling middle any longer. She was too thin and the small bump was clearly seen when she won´t wear wide shirts like today. She had hoped that maybe she was one of those rare women who don´t look pregnant until the fifth month, however her condition was special and it was rare that she won´t show more than she already should. The bump told her it will grow now rapidly. She sighed, getting fat was nothing she liked, in the end she was proud of the bump anyway and it did not matter at all. Her due date was the last December week, maybe a bit earlier it may be even Christmas Eve. Who knows, she will see when the time comes. She will be there.  
>With a last look in her mirror and satisfied that she does hide the little bump successfully enough let her smile and grabbed her pouch, it was her last Mission. A simple C-Rank one, nothing big nothing bad. Deliver a scroll, heal a sickly child and come back. Sai was going with her with Shikamaru who needs to talk to the Mizukage.<br>Why Sai was going with both of them, she had no idea. Maybe Sai was afraid that she was still angry with him? From the small fight they had last time, or was he worried that she may scalp Shikamaru? He was one reason Naruto refused to hear her out.  
>They had already talked later on, and she was not sure if she laughed or cried back then. He apologized and he took her out for meals very often to make it all better, in the end she was not angry at Sai and his foul mouth anymore, neither at Shikamaru after she heard his side and his logical reasons of assumption. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time like her and fate moved on its own. Maybe it even had a meaning that this all happened? 'Enough of this thoughts' she scolded herself and drifted back to Sai while putting her boots on. He was not somebody on insisting something, but she got the feeling he did exactly that. Moreover he was also to unknown reason attached to her like a lost puppy the last few weeks. Maybe she should just ask him, at least he shut his mouth on whatever he knows about her. It is the first time did not blurred out stupid stuff that she may have to hit 'reasonable' into him again.<br>Finished with her boots Sakura called out  
>"Mum?"<br>"Yes?" and her mothers head pooped out of nothing in the hallway.  
>"I will go now" Sakura announced<br>"Are you sure?" Sakura raised an eyebrow  
>"Yes?" her mother eyes were downcast a moment, what was with her?<br>"Take care, come home safe"  
>"I will Mum, I have Sai and Shikamaru with me"<br>"Oh yes the pale boy and the genius"  
>"He is not that pale" Sakura smiled<br>"Yeah right, even a dead one have more taint than he" Sakura had to chuckle. Yes indeed, he was white as a blank sheet of paper. Maybe she will find a way to bully him into a long-term mission in Suna where he has to be out in the sun 24/7. Maybe that would help is taint.  
>"Anyway-" she grabbed the door handle "-see you later"<br>"Bye honey, take care"  
>"I will" and closed the door behind her and like she already predicted Sai was waiting for her. Looking tired like all the other days, he was training hard she knows. Sometimes he asked for an advice and she told him where he would get the better answers. However he pointed out that Konoha has still a leak somewhere to the enemies. Now with Danzo gone and some power hungry beings in the underground it was not safe to shout out some information's or news into the world. They would do anything to gain Konoha and others to destroy it.<br>"Yes I know" Sakura sighed. "I don´t like that either"  
>"Without light there is no shadow, with no shadow there is no light" Sai said.<br>"Where did you read that?" she asked.  
>"Secret" Sai retorted cockily and Sakura smiled. So he insisted on her help here and there and she told him her theoretical knowledge hoping it would help him. Sai seemed satisfied with her support but not satisfied with his progress. He was more of an impatient person as he lets on. Frustration was often written on his forehead, next to stubbornness about it and tiredness.<br>He had trained every free minute, day after day after she had lifted the secret about the seal to him. Back then Sai only stood there with eyes wide open, frozen in place before he vanished without saying anything. She had seen him only a week later with a look in his eyes she had never seen before with a big question.  
>"I am the real thing or fake?" she had known what he meant or better why he would ask such a question. Nevertheless she was able to assure him that he was the real thing and no fake at all. Sai had already started to change himself, however that day triggered more than she imagined.<br>For the first time he seemed not stoic like he used too, fixated and in deep thoughts were more the description for Sai at the moment. It even creep her out he was changing so quickly and was attached to her without calling her 'ugly' in at least every second sentence. At the end she was not able to complain, his attachment to her was a relieve in another way. She does not feels alone, she has to admit that. However seeing him today again with the dark rings under his eyes told her, his night sleep was short again.  
>"You should sleep more Sai" he grunted softly<br>"And you need more beauty sleep" Sakura smiled. Yes, some stuff would never change, right?

"Hours?"

"Hours?"  
>"Nearly four, more than enough" Sakura sighed at this.<br>"It would be good if you sleep as often as you are able to manage six hours on free days even some more"  
>"Maybe..." he only said and both walked towards the gates where the other teammate was already waiting for them. Chatting with the Guards while waiting for them.<br>"Ready?" Shikamaru asked  
>"Yes"<br>"Yes" and the three man cell was off, not knowing what this journey won´t be everything but no routine.

.

.

The tall man let his hand rand through his shaggy wet silver hair. It was raining hard, the streets already overflowing with the amount of water coming down. He had known the rainy season in Rice Country was something else, however he had forgotten it was that bad around this time here. With quick steps he found his way to an Inn, happy that he was not washed away with the amount of water coming down. He never intended to stay here overnight. However his soaked through clothe, exhausted body, being hungry and the damn rain let him decide otherwise. With a sign his well known features vanished replaced by a brown haired middle aged guy.  
>"How can I help you?" the front desk guy asked him.<br>"A room for the night and possible a hot meal?"  
>"No problem Sir" and the man searched through the book, which room was open.<br>"You are lucky, we only have two rooms available"  
>"Lucky me" Kakashi smiled and paid the price for the one-night stay and took the key.<br>"Second floor, to the right, the last room"  
>"Thank you" and the Copy Nina vanished dripping water all the way along. He heard the man already calling out a girl name, telling her to mob after him.<br>The first thing he did was stepping out of his wet clothes. He emptied all bags and wring everything twice and hung them up. With a flick of his hands the fire in the fireplace lit up, sending warmth right away through the room and letting his chilled down skin run over with goosebumps. The next thing he knew was that he was under the hot spray of the shower and sighed again in delight that his skin loose the chilliness slowly and letting him feel again like a normal living being. When he came back out, on the small table was a big tray with food. Covered that it won´t lose its heat. He had felt someone coming in, however chakra less and even when that person had tried to touch him, he would have been dead in mere seconds if necessary.  
>While rubbing his hair and his mask less face he sat down, food was a very good idea and called his Nin-ken out.<br>"Hey hoooo!" the dog barked out, looking up to his master. Half naked.  
>"I hope you won´t ask me of something strange?" the dog asked. Kakashi sighed.<br>"No Pakkun" and the dog hopped onto the bed, making himself comfortable. The warmth of the room and a fluffy bed is also inviting to a dog.  
>"Eat up over there, it smells good, than tell me what you want" Kakashi grunted and the dog stared at him, meaning what he had said. The male turned around, took the lit off and found a big bowl of soup with some bread in another small bowl.<br>"I need you to take something to Tsunade-sama" he said after he was done.  
>"Will do" Pakkun answered and Kakashi searched in his back bag for a scroll. With a soft noise he opened it and scribbled something else onto it. He was sure he should bring this scroll himself, however he was on a Mission and not able to turn around to deliver information. However for that problem he was able to call his pet friends. The next was the searching for a water proof surrounding for the scroll and after some more searching in his bag he found a plastic wrapping. It will do its job.<br>"Be quick" he said.  
>"Like every time" the dog barked and Kakashi opened the window, the cold wind send a chill into the room and Pakkun was gone. He really was bothered what he came across, a few times already. First he sought about a man searching for his lost woman, the second triggered his brain more and the third time let his assumptions start. However no conclusion was solving the mystery. What bothered him the most, his current mission has nothing to do with it, and Kakashi wished he was able to search more about what he had found out. However it has to wait until that mission was over and thought about the woman again, afraid to the core. The Villagers and the woman told him the same, as the case before. Three man came out of nowhere asking of her origins and when this baby will be born, and if she was sure she was not from that clan. This woman was lucky, her due date was not fitting, or so he was told. Nonetheless he found out that she was indeed related to 'that' clan, the specific DNA had "thinned" she was not even a quarter. So she was not useful to them? Maybe so, maybe not. The next thought was, that indeed some of that clan was scattered around, so some were able to flee back then? Or did some left due to marriage or other reasons before the disaster stroked?<br>Nevertheless it seems there was something up, something bad when they already searching for a pregnant woman with a specific due date from with specific DNA traits. He refused to think that it may be a chimera due to all the bad and evil he already had encountered.  
>On top the description of one of the three man was not to his liking.<br>"Sasuke..." he breathed out "What are you up to?"

.

.

They had travelled two days when they arrived a small Village near the boarder. The decision of taking a rest was quickly found.  
>"Ah a nice bath would be wonderful" Sakura breathed out, stretching a bit while sitting on the bed. They got a 'family' room, that they are able to stay together. Sakura did not mind, however the over protectiveness was something what was bothering her a bit. Was that the male mode when a pregnant woman was around? It was a bit annoying, however she will deal with it in her own way.<br>"There is a public bath not far away" Shikamaru said while both hand where in his backpack, searching for something.  
>"Ah yes we walked by" she had seen it, and she was delighted.<br>"How about we go all, afterwards we eat?" Sai suggested.  
>"Oh, such a wonderful idea" Sakura smiled and searched for a change of clothe.<br>Sakura hummed while sitting there making more bubbles with the shampoo in her hair. She had no idea why she loved the public bath that much, she just liked it. She filled her washing basin and purred it over her head. A shriek behind her let her turn around. A small boy, not older as three was sitting on his butt behind her. Using both hands to wipe the soapy water of his face.  
>"Oh dear" she said and turned around fully. "Are you okay?" she asked and used a towel to dry the child a bit off.<br>"Mama?" the small one asked and a woman already rushed over.  
>"Kaito-chan!" and the small child got teary.<br>"Sorry" the mother apologized to Sakura.  
>"He did nothing wrong" Sakura assured.<br>"That is why I told you not to run around" the woman scolded her child a bit. With another apology both were gone. Sakura had just a smile in her face, rubbing unknown to herself her stomach.  
>"First day of the new year" a voice next to her said, her head moved around.<br>"Hm?" Sakura hummed out not really thinking she was addressed.  
>"Your will give birth on the first day of the new year" it was an old woman. Her long gray hair wet attached to her ached body. A small child scrubbing with a sponge the back of the woman.<br>"Granny?" the child asked.  
>"Hush Hina-chan" and the child pouted.<br>"I am due in December" Sakura offered with a smile the correction of her prediction.  
>"Like I said" the Granny started "You will give birth on the first day of the new year to one healthy boy" Sakura still had a hand over her stomach.<br>"Your prediction is not that far off, however-" the old woman hold up a hand.  
>"The first day of the new year one healthy son" Sakura shut her mouth. The Granny would be stubborn about it, right?<br>"Be prepared" and Sakura did not know how to interpret the look in the eyes of the old woman. Prepared for what? Being a mother? Is there a way to be prepared for that? If it would be there a pill 'perfect mother' she would take it for sure, or she will just try her hardest like everybody else. Never thinking at the words of the Granny again. The rest of her bath was event less and the evening was peaceful, however the Villagers seemed to be on the edge and while eating they heard some locals talking.  
>"Awful, isn´t it?" the older one asked the younger one.<br>"Yes it is, why would someone scare a pregnant woman like that?"  
>"Yeah, hell I would love to beat the shit out of them. Now she is bedridden from the shock, her health fails her"<br>"I know. Her body barley goes on... and what about the unborn?"  
>"Poor Goro-san, maybe he will lose both"<br>"This will be a dark hour then"  
>"I wish I could do something" Sakura was already on her feet, her both male companions behind her.<br>"Excuse me" and bowed slightly when the two males faced her.  
>"I.. We did not mean to overhear what you are talking about, however we did" she explained.<br>"It´s rude to listen to someone else conversation" Sakuras hand trembled a bit, however it was not the time to be rash.  
>"I know, sorry about that"<br>"Damn right, now go" the older one hushed her.  
>"I am a Doctor, maybe I am able to help" she just said afterwards.<br>"Pfft" it was the older one. "A little girl?" he asked. "When our local doctor is not able to help, then no one is. Little girls like you should go back home and play with dolls or something" the man ordered a new round of Sake, ignoring her completely.  
>She however was already shaken with anger.<br>"Little girl?" she breathed out "Playing with dolls?" it was Shikamarus hand which stopped her doing something stupid and dragged her out. She was breathing heavy.  
>"Chill" Shikamaru said "It is not good for the both of you" and it was like a cold bucket of water over her. He was right about that.<br>"Ah sorry" she apologized.  
>"Hm hm" he mumbled when Sai came out too, he had paid and rubbed his forehead a bit. Somehow he got a headache again.<br>"Let´s search for the doctor, it is the quickest way to find the woman in question"  
>"Every minute passing by means the loss of the child and maybe even..." it felt sick to her mouth to say it.<br>"We know" and all three vanished into three different directions. The Village was not big in population, however it still took some time to find the doctor who was surprised by the late night visitors.  
>"Yes, her name is Arisu Manabou, her husband is Goro Manabou" the doctor explained and handed her his medical file of her. He was a Doctor of the 'non' ninja way and he respected Medic Nins, he expected quickly that the pink haired young woman may was the help Arisu needed.<br>Sakura frowned over the written report of the doctor, Kazuo Hajime. A petite build man in his mid thirties.  
>"Bring me to her, now" she demanded and the doctor only nodded. With the quickest pace the doctor was able to maintain they went out of the Village, down in a small Valley. Even without the daylight, everyone was able to tell how beautiful it must be there. Sadly there was not time to lose thoughts about the nice scenery and Kazuo knocked at the door. It took a moment when a tall man, with sad and worried eyes opened the door.<br>"Doctor" and opened the door a bit more. "In the middle of the night?" the poor man was sleep deprived.  
>"A Medic Nin came across our Village and heard about your wife, may she look over her? Maybe she will find something" Goro looked at the tree foreigners.<br>"Oh a Medical Ninja?" looking back and forth between Shikamaru and Sai. "And his assistance?" and looked at Sakura. How cliché Sakura thought, the woman is only the assistance?  
>"This is Sakura Haruno, she is the Medical Ninja"<br>"Oh..." he only said, eyeing her for a second time.  
>"Look" Sakura said a bit annoyed. "We can waste time here in your door frame and let you wonder how is it able that a woman is a Medical Ninja, or you let us in and I examine your wife and maybe will even find out what is wrong. It is your choice, if we may have the chance to safe her life or not" after this Goro moved aside, making room to let them in.<br>It would be really stupid not to take any chance to help is wife, maybe she was all talk, maybe she was not. He did not dare to hope, however the tiny bit of hope was lit up again.  
>The hut was lit with oil lamps, a stew on the fireplace. A small kid about four or five years old asleep on the thick carpet near the fireplace. A blanket draped over the small frame. An open door with faint light, lured her in. The wood creaked under feet when she approached the bed. The checks of Arisu were bright red, a wet cloth on her forehead. A high fever. She felt the presence behind her.<br>"How long does she have the high fever?" she asked, knowing she will get an answer.  
>"Since the morning"<br>"Hmmm" Sakura said, it was not good to maintain so long a high fever. Her hand put the cover aside, the baby lump clearly seen. It would be around seven or eight month. In a moment she would know more. Her hand touched the wet nightgown over her belly. Her eyes closed in concentration. Letting her chakra slowly in. The woman felt the disturbance and her head moved with a groan.  
>"Sakura-san?" Kazuo asked, fearing already the worst, since she said nothing for a while. Her hand stopped glowing and again more silence.<br>"There is nothing you can do?" Goro asked already strained before he knew the answer.  
>"The child is well developed for barley eight month" she said tension in her voice, her mind some steps ahead of her.<br>"I need hot water, clean towels and the rest I will write down" out of nowhere she had a notepad with a pen in her hand.  
>"What are you gonna do?" Goro asked.<br>"You child will be born now" she only said and pushed the note in the hand of the doctor.  
>"Sai make sure to be quick" he nodded only and grabbed the doctors arm to take him with him.<br>"What do you mean? It is not due date and..." he lost any words he might wanted to say.  
>"It is either that or both will die, choose right now" she said looking the tall man in his eyes and Goro answered without hesitation "Ok" and Shikamaru frowned already, knowing he will have to do something he does not want to do...<br>Only minutes later Sai come back with the local doctor who was slight green in the face. Sai had a smirk in his face, Sakura did not pay any attention to it however Shikamaru did for a moment. So the doctor has motion sickness? It sure was a hell ride for the poor man on Sais bird. Anyway his bag looked like it was good filled with whatever Sakura had requested.  
>Goro helped as much as Sakura let him, since he was protective and very afraid of what will happen further on. The information that a woman he never saw will force the birth of his child, was something which did not settled in completely. He did not even dared to ask how and what will happen after the birth. He was too afraid.<br>With all the commotion the young child woke up, since his father had to move him, flare the fire more to boil some water.  
>"Dad?" the tiny voice asked, tired and irritated with all the unknown faces.<br>"Eiji " his father acknowledged the little boy "These people will help to bring your brother or sister into this world" he said, patting the dirty brown coloured hair of the boy. Big eyes go from his father to the unknown and back.  
>"And Mum?" the adult tried to smile "They will try their best, let us pray for mum and your sibling" and took his child into his lap.<br>"Whatever you will hear" Sakura started "You will not enter, you do not want to see it" she said. A nod to Sai was all, and an ink hound was out of the scroll guarding the door.  
>The hot water was on the empty nightstand. Towels on the rim of the bed. Sakura had her hair already pinned up and was using a big towel around her chest, which goes down to her knees as a lab coat. There was just nothing else.<br>Kazuo used the windowsill to put together what Sakura requested. The empty injections will be filled in not time and he mixed and mixed, sweat on his forehead.  
>"Both of you clean your hand again" she ordered and both male did. She did too. Inhaled and exhaled again. The situation was bad, very bad and the outcome was in question. However she will try her best, her condition was not one to do such a medical treatment. She would lie if she says she know everything will be fine, that her chakra supplement won´t fail her due to her own pregnancy. She has no idea, however she has to try. Without any help of her, the death of both would be sure. She leaned with one knee on the bed, using the tonic to disinfect the swollen stomach.<br>Sai hold a big fluffy towel in both arms. Shikamaru holding the tray of whatever Sakura may need.  
>"Kazuo-sama, are you ready?" she asked and the doctor turned around, a small tray with three injections ready.<br>"You will have to help the baby, use the bluish injection, afterwards you will tell Sai how to rub to help the circulation, ok?"  
>"Ok"<br>"I will start now" and her hand started to glow in brighter green, they had ever saw as healing chakra. With a swift but still careful motion she let her hand move, blood was seen quickly. A few more swift cuts here and there. The woman groaned. They did not use medics on her, the feverish state was enough not to let her feel much at the very moment, however she will be in a bit. That is why she was bound the bed, she had no time to feel sorry. Anaesthetics would kill the woman right away, if the body send her the will to wake up and she will wake up. It would be a good sign until she will fade away again into the darkness.  
>Sai never moved his eyes, it was the first time he saw Sakura in action like that. He know she was a good medic, a really good one and like Shikamaru they were amazed by what she was doing right now.<br>"Here it comes" she said and all of sudden with what looked a rough movement the baby was just out. No cry was heard and Sakura cursed. Sending a quick shook through the poor child. A mouth motion was seen and pushed the baby in Sais arms, the local doctor already next to him with the shoot. Without out thinking twice, the needle pierced the skin.  
>"Come" Sai heard and he puts the child down onto cushioned box in the corner. Without any hesitation the doctor put his finger in the tiny mouth, trying to get whatever was there out. A bit of slime was found.<br>"Like this" the doctor said shortly after. They don´t have much time, that was something Sai understood perfectly. The baby need to breath and he helped rubbing some special herbal lotion onto the body of the small child. "Don´t use force" Kazuo told Sai again, making Sai a bit afraid he might hurt the baby.  
>Sakura however was nearly thrown off the bed when Arisu screamed and trashed her body to the left and right with eyes wide open, only to roll back in her head and fall back.<br>"Not good" she only said, healing the c-section layer by layer. Her hands were bloodstained and sweat on her forehead.  
>"Give me the red one" she said to Shikamaru who hurried around the bed to fetch the object she asked for. She snatched it out of his hand, with her mouth she took the plastic lit of. Pushing the needle in Arisus arm.<br>"Water" and the bowl was next to her only a small cry interrupted her for a second, a smile graced her for a second and she went ahead trying to safe the mother of two children.  
>Kazuo sighed out in relief, the baby gaining a healthy colour now and was crying since it sure was cold.<br>Sai looked down amazed by the small being crying there, helpless and naked. They were all small like this when they were born? So tiny, such small hands and fingers. Small legs, feet and toes. Such a small fragile being is what they were all once were?  
>It was an odd good feeling he was harbouring now. It was warm and pleasant. Something he never experienced before. In the meantime while Sai stared, Kazuo had gotten a fresh towel after he washed his hands, pushing it again in Sais arms, putting the baby in it and covered the new being in this world with the corners of the towel. Now in a fluffy towel and starting to feel warm, the crying was subsiding down.<br>"Bring her to Goro-san, please..." and Sai nodded silently.

Goro was clutching onto the table when he heard his wife scream, his son had started crying right after that. What to do? He asked himself, yes what to do? He could only wait and he did. Patting the head of his son, never letting his eyes move away from the door to the bedroom.  
>The doorknob moved, the door creaked while being opened slightly and a dark dresses boy walked out, in one arm a green towel. The door creaked again when he closed the door, trying not to let them see what was going on inside.<br>With slow and steady steps he approached Goro, his eyes were already glued to onto him. With a small motion he hinted to take the bundle from him and Goro did, small noises reached the ears while the baby was shifted from one to another.  
>"It is a girl" Sai informed. "Kazuo-san said it is nothing worrisome about her" he was not sure if it was ok to say she was healthy, she was early born and for now alive and well enough.<br>"A girl" and looked down, looking at his daughter which wasn´t supposed to be in this world just yet and here she was.  
>"Thank you" he said and the small boy clutched the leg of his father.<br>"Eiji " Goro said "Look your sister" and kneeled down to the level of Eiji.  
>"Oh" the boy said, with red puffy eyes and tears on his cheek. "Small" he hiccuped.<br>"Yes, isn´t she?" his father asked.  
>"I was that small too?" he asked, rubbing his wet eyes.<br>"Yes once" and the child tried to smile. "No never" and his father smiled at him.  
>Sai watched the scene before him. He never knew fatherly love or mothers love. It was only in books, a rough description of what it may be. Sakura told him, that it is hard to describe what it feels like to be a mother in wait. She tried to explained it in words, however it does not make any sense to him and maybe that was what it is about. The undying love, everlasting feeling of protection, the non stopping warmth in your chest. It had no real sense, it is just there when you love somebody, when you are going to be a parent. He really has no idea, however he wished that maybe it would be nice to know.<br>"What about Mum, Dad?" and the grown man froze. Looking then up to Sai.  
>"They try" he only said and Goro was sure the meaning behind it was more negative as positive. Goro turned his head to Eiji.<br>"One of your prayers was heard Eiji" and whipped the baby in his arms a bit.  
>"Maybe God is able to hear another prayer of ours for Mum" and the small kid nodded his head...<p>

It was Shikamarus arms who supported all her weight, when she clutched onto him. Her chakra system had shut her out of using anymore and only fatigue was left. Her breathing was hard, her body was aching and she was feeling like she need to throw up. Yes, overworked she was not able to deny it. However it may was worth it, the baby was healthy and alive and the next hours and the regular injection will tell if she succeeded saving Arisu or not. She had the pregnancy poison in her body. A mental state which let her body weakens with an infection god knows from where that comes in her liver. It was not detectable for an ordinary doctors without the equipment, the poison was easily diagnosed with a virus infection.  
>"Every hour she need a shot" she informed Kazuo panting. "And now I have to excuse myself" she huffed out with a ragged breath and went slump in Shikamarus arms. She nearly slipped away, his grip was a bit rougher around her body.<br>"Sakura..." he breathed out...

.

.

The small fire was dying down slowly when a girl put some more wood into it, to feed the fire again. Still she did not stop complaining to the one of the two males. They were fighting about useless stuff and Sasuke frowned lightly at both of them. More of irritation and annoyance than anything else. Why where they with him again? He asked himself, ah yes Madara shoved them onto him.  
>The girls name was Nari Ekigushi. Her hair was slightly greenish with a hint of brown, her skin was bronze and her eyes a dull yellowish colour, which let her eyes glow when light hit them. The other one was Shige Motori a thin and very pale young man, somewhat older than himself as far as he was able to tell. He had blond hair and pale violet eyes. His high was about a head taller than he, as for the girl she was shorter as him and maybe about 18 or 19 years old.<br>Like the other days he tried to shut them out of his normally silent world, trying to focus on something else without loosing the touch of his surroundings. So he looked up the sky. It was cloudless night sky with the glittering of the thousand of stars and a thin sickle of the moon. It was a night view he liked, and he did not liked much stuff anyway. However it did not let him forget his unsatisfying thoughts of his, about the mission he was send on. It was for the propose of tacking down Konoha, and hell he will even go out to get some jobs done for Madara, if it helps succeeding the goal.  
>Madara was smart or just insane, he was not able to decide. However the man was smart enough to have another plan to make up for a failure. The failure was only because Naruto showed up, when he was not supposed to be there at all. A wrong calculation and a downfall for the plan, the next one will even think about the fox and he will be the one bring him down. He has more than enough time to find a way and train to take him down.<br>Another mute sigh of his, letting his thoughts drifting back to his current problem. His mission.  
>He was briefed about it. He was in search of a woman. Someone who was carrying the blood of the once well known and feared long lived clan. As far as he knew know it was perished, annihilated and very few around the world shattered. The original pure bloodline mixed with other ones, letting it slowly fade out. However they must be at least one, who wasn´t that mixed down, since she was the object of his mission. Or better the child she was giving birth too.<br>It make the search a bit easier. A pregnant woman of that clan was rarer than a clan member at all. However with the few survivors scattered around the world, did not helped him at all. At least there were three other teams out there to in search for the mission target.  
>The first thing he did after he got the Mission was trying to sought out the history of the clan and what else he was able to get his hands of it.<br>The clan was blessed with the long lives, they were getting older than anybody else. They were master of the Fuuin Techniques, sealing's are one of the most complex Jutsus he came across. And he did not like to say it, however even he is only able to use low ranked Fuuin. The higher ones are nothing he may ever touch.  
>Next to it, the most well known and visible trait of the clan was the hair colour. The DNA was aggressive, like his. Eating any trait of the other partner away, and so the search was down to red heads. Red hairs like Karin, he assumed back then already belong to that clan. He wondered how it was possible that Naruto was a blond, maybe there was something wrong with the DNA calculation, or it was once in a million happening.<br>He had no idea and did not care much about it. However a difficult feeling, that he may know where to find that pregnant woman never left his mind. He had to shake his head to it, since it was not possible. He sighed mentally. At least his search was down to a woman with red hair, most likely up to 95%. Being pregnant, which is 100 %.  
>It should not be that hard to find her, right?<br>The only thing he asked himself was, why the hell did he not find her yet?

.

.

Shikamaru rubbed his temples, his eyes tired from watching over the sleeping Sakura, her head in his lap, for an unknown reason a hand on her lump. Somehow he want to make sure her child was safe and wished he would be able to use some medic jutsu. Kazuo was dead tired to, staying awake the whole night giving shot after shot. Using his stethoscope to make sure the heart beats regular, that the lungs won´t made unusual sounds. He also said, that as far as he was able to tell about a pregnant Shinobi that Sakura was just exhausted and would be fine when she wakes up. For the rest Sakura need to make sure herself, he was able to hear the normal regular heartbeat and was surprised by something however said nothing else. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow but was to tired to ask and leaned onto the wooden wall behind him.  
>Sai looked terrible with dark rings under his eyes when he walked through the door, two big bags full of grocery with him.<br>"Sakura?" he asked  
>"No" and the early sun was shining through the windows. Sai put everything out, holding out a box with formula and a bottle to the little boy.<br>"Give this your dad, you sister is hungry" and the boy skipped away.  
>"I will make breakfast" he announced. He was not a great chef, however for a decent breakfast his cooking skills were good enough.<br>A sizzling sound and the smell of fresh tea filled her nose, saying it was time to eat something and she should wake up, about right now. Her heavy lids opened slowly and she groaned a bit. Her body was a bit sore of the overuse of her chakra.  
>"It smells good" she moaned, feeling a warm hand vanished from her belly and a tired Shikamaru was looking down to her.<br>"It is good to have you awake" he said "Are you fine?" he asked  
>"Hmm hmm" she hummed letting her hand glow over her belly. "We are all fine" she said then "It was the backfire of overusing chakra, my body will automatically shut down the usage of chakra when it is at the point of hurting the pregnant me"<br>"Ok?" he asked and she sat up very slowly, rubbing her back in the process. The bank was not a suitable place to sleep, still better than the floor.  
>"Come eat" Sai said and put down a plate with scrambled eggs and some bread. Simple but good enough. She looked around. Kazuo was explaining something to Goro who was feeding the baby girl with the bottle. Eiji was sitting besides him, looking at the small being sucking on the bottle.<br>"In a minute, let me look at Arisu-san first" and stood up. To her amazement the woman woke up under her soft touch.  
>"Hmmm" the woman groaned, she was still pale. The fever was down to a non dangerous temperature. The last side effects of all what happened.<br>"Arisu-san" Sakura asked "Do you hear me, Arisu-san"  
>"Hmmm" and her eyes fluttered open...<p>

.

.

Tsunade stared down at the scroll. The one Kakashi had send her. Her folded hands, were already white from her pressure, her lips a thin line her eyes a sharp look.  
>The reported events he came across weren't the first ones. It already happened a good amount of time. Frightened pregnant women all over the nations. Some were very blood thinned descendant of the clan, some not, some where. She thought there were less of the clan survivors out there, know they all know that was not the case. They were more than everybody had thought.<br>However with Kakashis Report made the assumptions she and the intelligence facility had more true and more terrifying. What when Madara got his hands on that child. It would mean the world was fated to be destroyed forever. How she wished that this will never happen. Not now or ever. It was clear as the blue sky out there. This child means war and the downfall of the world.

.

.

With a nearly two day delay the moved on. Sakura refreshed with chakra and enough sleep like the other two. While sitting on the ink bird again, she was deep in thoughts. Shikamaru tried to scribble down something in the scroll and Sai rubbed his forehead on the same spot about an hour already, leaving behind a red area.  
>Arisu had made it. She came through and was thankful to Sakura, the gods and whatever was there that she was allowed to be alive like her daughter.<br>Sakura was then a bit shy all of a sudden, waved it off. 'It is my job, I am happy I could help' the small Eiji liked her very much and was happy to see his mother well, or better getting well.  
>Shikamaru asked for the cause of the mental shut down and Arisu had frozen up for some time.<br>"Maybe we will find the bastards" he suggested and slowly the bedridden woman told them what happened. It was disturbing, very disturbing and let all three fell in deep thoughts about the information's they got.  
>"We should gather information's about incidents like that" Sai suggested and Shikamaru nodded.<br>"Yes I think so too" he said and started to scribble down in his scroll, after this one was full he took the next one. He let his thoughts move his hands to write down whatever. His brain was working at his best and Sakura had another ill feeling about the whole story.  
>"It isn´t good, when it is what I think it is" she said and Sai eyebrows moved to a thinking position.<br>"Hmmm" he hummed out, another habit he took from someone and all three did not say another word until they had reached their destination.

.

.

It was about a week later when they were called into the Hokage office. They had written long reports about the last mission. However they quickly found out, that this wasn´t the first case.  
>"About Arisu Manabou incident" the Tsunade started. "I wanted to let you know we will start an investigation"<br>"You don´t have to tell us" Sakura said, wondering why they were told. Shikamaru know already and Sai knows now too.  
>"I trust you, that is why I tell you, guys and sighed a bit. "Kakashi found something similar in a few more cases not to mention our intelligence facility gathered information of similar cases since weeks" she explained. "Why I am telling you that?" she asked.<br>"I will need you out there and you need to know what is going on. I want you guys to know that it is Sasuke related, which means Madara" and Sakura hold her breath a cold chill run down her spine.  
>"Sasuke..." she breathed out.<br>"Yes... sadly yes" she said leaning back.  
>"The problem is, you know how much value the Uzumaki blood have, yes?"<br>"They are known for long living and feared for the sealing techniques"  
>"Yes, that is a reason too" Tsunade breathed out "The other one is the compatible of being a host for a Biju" another chill down her spine.<br>"There are no other Biju out there, right?" Sakura dared to ask. Wasn´t the extracted Bijus lost in the last war? And the only one left Naruto and Bee itself?  
>"That is what we do not know, it is possible to hold onto the essence for god knows how long. Never ever one tried before. So we fear the worst, the what if is bigger than the what if not" Sakura rubbed her arms.<br>"Not pleasant" she said  
>"It is not" Tsunade answered "I assumed already, whenever our Naruto will be a father himself he will constantly fight of enemies who wants to take his children for being either a container of an Biju, evil essence or whatever" the knowledge was ugly, it was something you do not want to know.<br>"Anyway... we need to find that child"  
>"And then?"<br>"Either hide it... or the worst case..."  
>"Eliminate" Sai finished the sentence that was the moment Sakura was sick to her stomach, ready to puke.<br>"No" she breathed out.  
>"That is why I will choose the first one, however we still have the underground problems" she said "Just because Danzo is dead, does not mean the 'root' of it died" and looked at Sai.<br>"That is true" he said "However since my loyalty is with my friends, I have no access to any of the group. Names alone won´t be enough to investigate them, nor will they be investigated that easily."  
>"I know that" Tsunade sighed. Sakura believes in Sai, she had too and she will. After putting his life in her hands and being grateful to her afterwards were true words. So she had to put her faith into him, no matter what.<br>"We can only try our best to find and keep that child safe" Tsunade announced. "That bastard is not allowed to mess with a child live, we just cannot allow it..."

.

.

"**WHAT**!" Sakura nearly dropped the tea cup.  
>"You know what I said" Shikamaru said, putting his tea cup down.<br>"Why... how can you... even consider..." Sakura was lost, lost in all the mess she tried so hard not to drown. She was afraid to disappoint her parents, not being able to be a good mother, not being able to survive as a single parent and being that young. It was one of these days were the fears overweight the happiness about being pregnant.  
>"The rumour is going around the village anyway. At the moment it is not in the open that you are really pregnant, however since my assumption on Nejis party everybody thinks 'we' are expecting" rubbing his neck while saying so.<br>"No wonder Ino is avoiding me" Sakura mumbled. She felt the looks of Ino on her and every time she wanted to start a conversation the blonde excuses herself and fled into any direction where Sakura was not.  
>"She is pissed at me, I shrugged her off back then when I had the first signs of being pregnant and now with the rumours she flees when she sees me" Sakura sighed<br>"Very mature" he sighed.  
>"Yes... Anyway there should be another way" Sakura suggested after a while, noticing that a dark haired one sneaked noiseless into house. Her parents were out at work, it was only midday.<br>"Ah gosh" Sakura said standing up "Can´t you bleed out in the bathroom instead of the fresh cleaned floor?" she asked the wounded one. Sai huffed only and was dragged into the bathroom.  
>"You starting to get the bad habit of Kakashi of not visiting the hospital" Sai himself grunted unlike him. He sure was in pain, the Anbu gear told her, that is was for sure an ugly mission and a bloody on top. He was tired and exhausted. The muscles were stiff under her hands, he need some good nutrition and sleep.<br>"I trust you more" was his only statement he said to her, and it made her shut up again, while he bleeds on the white tiled floor. She frowned slightly when the pulled down his pants without hesitation showing her his leg was blue and a cut was neatly running down, it was not deep however poisoned.  
>"You are an idiot" she hissed and her hands started to glow in her soothing green chakra. Shikamaru himself stood in the door frame, looking at her work and wondered again how anybody could have missed in the academy days that she was a natural talent to medic jutsu or had chakra control like no other, it was like prodigies or genius. One of the kind once every few years. Somebody had missed the chance to take a good look at her back then.<br>"Shikamaru?" she asked  
>"Yes?"<br>"Can you fetch something from my room and a glass of water?"  
>"Sure"<br>"It is in the left shelf in the brown box, the second bottle with the number eight on it"  
>"Ok" and he was off. She frowned at his leg again.<br>"Make sure you won´t die, got it?"  
>"Yes" he said, giving her a tired Sai smile.<br>"Idiot" and smiled too, after she was done healing him she shoved three pills down his throat. "I don´t care, just sleep" she just said to him and he was already asleep when his head hit her pillow. She sighed.  
>"Man" she breathed out "Idiot" and shut the door behind her, joining Shikamaru in the kitchen again.<br>"And?" he asked, enjoying the Newspapers while she was gone.  
>"I need to change my sheets again" she grunted out and he only shrugged. Sai was not able to make more than three steps before he would fall unconscious. Since he was more proud as everybody thought, he took the her bed instead of being carried home by Shikamaru who would have done it.<br>Hours later Shikamaru was gone off to Suna, he would be back in a week. Sai was still sleeping in her bed like a log. Foreign to her that he was so defenceless. He would wake up at any slightest noise, ready to strike. She sat on the balcony with a big book in her lap, medical book. What else and was reading while enjoying the late rays of the sun. Dinner was already over and a tray with some Onigiri and a bowl of salad was on the desk for Sai if he ever will wake up today again. Somehow she doubted it and was ready to take the couch tonight. She sighed, he had to report back in the Anbu headquarter, he would get an earful, however it was not her problem, right?

.

.

Shikamaru yawned. He was playing GO the whole night with some old men he does not know, however it was fun and rubbed his neck a bit. The bit sleep he had whiled sitting was not refreshing, but better than nothing and was escorted up the tower. Like every time and was greeted politely.  
>"Shikamaru-san"<br>"Gaara-sama" he said and both shook hand.  
>"It is good to see you" Gaara said and pointed to the seat available for the Nara Clan member. Both sat down.<br>"Yes, same here" and put a box onto the table. Gaara removed the lit, looked over them a moment and closed the box again.  
>"Thank you for delivery"<br>"No problem at all, it is a honour"  
>"It may be was not a problem, however my substitute ambassador got his schedule jumbled up... otherwise he would have been there to fetch them in Konoha. I am sorry for the inconvenience" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. With all the stuff going on in his head and around him, now as Gaara mentioned. He hasn´t seen Temari for a long time.<br>"Oh? A substitute ambassador?"  
>"Yes, my sister is not available"<br>"I am allowed to ask why?"  
>"Yes sure" Gaara said and leaned back in his seat "Temari got a group of ten ninjas to teach them in wind based jutsus. It is like a ritual of growing up or like graduation of the wind jutsu school after they come back. They are in an enclosed area, nobody is allowed to leave until training is done, nobody is allowed in until they are finished. It takes between six to twelve month. Until then I have to live with my sloppy ambassador... I better send my brother next time..." and the young Hokage sighed...<p>

.

.

One week later a figure was standing on her balcony while she was deep in thoughts, again. She drifted of like that very often, having doubts and fears about her future. She sighed then all so often telling herself to be strong and to figure out how this all will work out.  
>It filled her thoughts around the clock. The what to do now, how to manage, how to this how to that. It seems there were more questions as answers available to her. The only thing she was sure of was, she was able to provide. She never had to pay rent or buy something beside ninja gear for herself. Her mother scolded her when she bought herself a skirt to go out.<br>"Safe your money for later, honey" her mother said and her father only nodded. "If you want a skirt, just tell us" she felt so little in that moment. She wanted to be independent and stay strong and pay for herself. After talking about the why she should safe up and why her parents force her to take some providing of theirs, she just shut up and let it be. She does understand the reason behind it and it made her parents happy to see she was not out of their reach yet. So she told them when she liked to have some new sandals or a lotion. Her mother smiled happily then and either they went shopping together or it was later up in her room on her desk. Every time she thanked with a big smile and got a big smile in return.  
>Now everything is not the same anymore. She won´t be able nor does she want to rely on her parents. It was not fair to push her heavy load onto them. They did a fine job with her, and was now her time to show she was not a bad daughter, even while pregnant that young.<br>Sakura hold up her bankbook, she just let it update in the morning and now she looked through the sides. The neatly printed numbers. One paycheck after another, Mission payment. The number of her paycheck had rapidly grown after she had become a Jonin and the Head of the Hospital. Even the mission pay went up as well too, she is double paid. Once for being in the Mission and the second for being a Medic on Mission. With that amount of money she is on the safe side. She is able to provide no matter what even alone if necessary and when is able to be back on Mission, she is able to pay for a Nanny and the Day-care and still there will be enough to live a comfortable life. Still a bit of doubt lingers in her, how could it not. She was for heavens sake only a 17 year old young woman and she will be at the end of this year a mother. It scared sometimes the better out of her, letting her heart beating faster. Afraid of the ugly truth out there, the one hunting her often in her dreams. The thoughts of holding her own child in her arms, let is subside down very quickly. Forgetting the bad thoughts and whatnot. The happiness overweight fears quickly and effective.  
>She sighed a bit, putting her bankbook in the drawer of her desk. Today she brought herself a new big shirt, against her mother wishes. However it was maternal clothes so she couldn´t just ask. The bag rustled a bit when she got the new shirt out, it was sleeveless for the summer heat. She wrapped herself out of her clothes and searched in her wardrobe for shorts. After a minute or two she was frustrated and found out that she indeed has only her ninja gear shorts and only one pair unbroken shorts in dark brown. She sighed and pushed her legs through, next was the shirt. Or better it was more dress like. The soft cloth fell over her butt and belly, she let her hand run over the clothe. The dress shirt was in a soft pale green, the band under her boobs was snow-white with a bow. She looked at herself in the mirror. Front, side, front and side again. Her hand under her small lump. Indeed she was very pregnant wasn´t she? A soft knock on her window was heard. She whirled around a bit surprised, her shoulder length hair moving slightly with her movement. Feeling like she might got an heart attack just now, wasn´t she a Shinobi? For heavens sake.<br>"Jumpy?" he asked.  
>"Haha" she grunted. "Hey" she said to her visitor. The door from her balcony was wide open and there weren't many who would just come to her like that.<br>"Hey there too" she was greeted back and the male studied her from head to toe, it let redden her cheeks a bit.  
>"What?" she asked. He did not dare to say he was there the whole time, he would earn him a punch to Suna or so.<br>"Dunno" he said "Pregnant woman are all beautiful" he said and she opened her mouth then shut it, then open it again this time with words coming out.  
>"I am ugly while not pregnant then?" Quickly he caught his own mistake, he should have said it not like that, right?<br>"Sakura" he said, seeing her slight angry look. "That is defiantly not the case you know as good as me you are a pretty one and you know as a Medic with some psychology lessons that pregnant women are even more beautiful to men, right?" Sakura _'hmpfed'_ only however was satisfied with is accurate excuse and hell, he said she was pretty before and being pretty now should count, right?  
>"Anyway, I like the green shirt you got"<br>"Yeah right?" she asked back grinning at herself in the mirror again.  
>"Did you thought of a kimono style shirt too?"<br>"Hm? No, not really I was never in the Kimono business"  
>"How about I show you what I mean, my cousin said there were really comfy"<br>"Oh ok, show me later if I am still alive then..." and frowned a bit.  
>"You will" he said, his voice changed from soft to business. She sighed mute.<br>It was time, time to tell and starting to life something she never imagined she will do. All for safety and be sure nothing bad will happen. It was a decision she, no they both or with Sai in it three came to. It was the easiest and sadly the best. Guilt was running through her veins.  
>"Don´t look like that" he said to her, seeing already what she thought about.<br>"But..."  
>"No! No regrets about that" he said and she looked down to her naked feet. Painted with green nail polish, something she would never do while in the mission roster. From today on she will be a free bird about that and she will paint her nails and toes to her heart content.<br>"I see you in an hour" he said, putting a small bag on her bad, bid his farewell and was gone. Inside were green tea cookies. She smiled slightly and munched some trying not to remember the live changing decision they had chosen together...

_He was sitting on the reeling of her balcony and she sat again on the balcony this time to enjoy the small breeze, the first moving wind in days. He was in a grouched form, his arms loose in his lap a cigarette in his mouth. Sakura stared at him for a moment while the trees let the moonlight play on his features. They had talked about it, again and again. She had thought about it for many days, he did it too and the conclusion was "We do it" he said to her what she thought.  
>"Yes we do" resting her head on the reeling only dressed in a pale nightgown. He was wearing a sloppy greyish baggies, a plain white shirt and Geta on his feet. He did not shave the last two or three days, some stubble was seen in his face. Bags under his eyes, he was gone for a mission. Only showered, stuffed himself with food and found then the notice she had left for him and here he was.<br>Dead tired, mind set.  
>There was no other way, for now and maybe even later. Now they both knew, if they start this, there was no way out of it and no way back. He lifted his hand slowly into her direction. It was a small gesture, a sweet one for bystanders. However to them it was the beginning.<br>Sakura lifted her hand too, laying it softly into his hand. He squeezed it softly. And for the longest time, she did smile happy at him for real. She felt save for this moment and grateful that she had no words for it. The sacrifice he is making. What was her aching heart for that price he pays? Nothing to be compared, there was nothing, nothing at all...  
><em>

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><p>Visit me - <strong>Junablossom<strong> - on devianArt

You will find in my Gallery and Scrapbook stuff for True Lies and many other things :-)

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><p><strong>Please<strong>: Review too to help erasing mistakes and for support.

I hope you did enjoy my story.

_Junablossom_


	7. Chapter 07

**Note: please read first!**  
>This chapter had no BETAREADER, so you will find grammar mistakes. I am sorry about that. I apologize about the grammar mistakes beforehand: sorry!<br>I am searching currently for a new one, however it is not as easy at is seems to find someone willingly... my Betareader vanished, I still hope she will be back and we are able to work together again. Until then the following chapters will be like this with no correction.

Thank you

PS: Do not forget this is a Drama story. THIS IS No Sakura bashing or something like that. Have the description of this story in mind or read the notice in chapter 04.

Sorry the Word to format is not working for me... anyway please enjoy.

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><p><strong>No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.<strong>

**~Euripides**

Snow had fallen throughout the night again. Piling inch after inch towards the sky. It was the biggest snowfall in written history. The cold wind rushed over the white landscape, letting the fresh fallen snow moving into different directions. From the mountains to the deepest valley, everything was hidden under the snow.  
>Nevertheless some quick shadows were rushing through the bitterness of this cold winter. Here and there the hushed sound from their short conversations, the rustling from the cold and frozen paper of the maps. There were in a rush, in a rush to find something. It was their mission from their new head of the clan. One who should not sit there, however the head was their law and they had to obey no matter what.<br>The ninjas from the Chikusho Clan roamed for month through the countries. Searching and looking after the simples and smallest clue they had. The mission? It was to find something special.  
>A myth.<br>A legend.  
>They doubted something like that ever existed, however it was the mission. No questions to the leader. They searched day by day. Then somehow, in a long forgotten valley they may found what they were asked to look for.<br>"Get him!" one had only shouted and team of two man was gone.  
>"This is it?" a masked one asked.<br>"Maybe... just maybe" and waited for their Master to arrive.

...

Suna was beautiful in winter. When in Konoha was buried under a thick layer of Snow, the desert was shining brightly in many different colours. Every inch of the yellow sand was covered with lush green. It was a sight to see and behold, the once desert covered in lush green grass. The dry riverbed filled with water. The sleeping trees came back to life.  
>Birds were chirping happily and animals found their way into the green desert to give birth to their baby's. Many different kind of flowers and speed growing Lahushi Trees. They were special, and important for the food supply in Suna. They grow rapid after the short rainy season before they were harvested at the end of the short period of growth.<br>Sakura had used her free time outside within in the beautiful surroundings. She felt like she was in another world, so foreign to her and yet so beautiful and simply amazing.

...

Nearly frostbitten, the searching team bid their greetings to the Master. He himself said nothing, when he looked at what they had found. His slow steps let him getting closer, deeper in to a hidden cavern with black poisonous black water. According to some ancient vague written text they found the cave paintings in the deep end of the cave. It was like it was described. It seems it was, what the Master wanted. The torch illuminated the red and black paintings.  
>The eyes of the cloaked figure roamed over the paintings, searching for the answers.<br>"Maybe" he said low and walked quickly over to a seemingly normal rock to the left. Some chakra was send through the rock. First nothing happened. Again he tried it and then he heard a very low sound in the far distance. A rumbling sound. Like solid rocks rubbed against one another, moving somewhere what they were not able to see. Slowly the sound grew stronger, moved towards them. The cavern walls started to shake. The floor vibrated softly, the black water was wavy.  
>The Ninjas behind their master tried not to move, or flinch away by the roaring sound coming near. It told you to run away, far far away. Heat was coming from somewhere. And there it was. An entrance. A wide, gaping maw with ragged steps down into the unknown blackness. The black water had foamed behind them, oozing out some poisonous gas. Making them start moving towards the gaping entrance.<br>"Perfect" he said "Perfect" and took one step after another down toward the unknown goal and the journey down to the unknown ended in a big hall. The torch was not able to lit the whole room, however the light was reflected from the floor. It was marble, white golden marble. A shook rushed through the room, some dust with little rocks fell from the ceiling and rocks broke apart to the left. Heat emerged a little brook made founds its way.  
>"We should hurry" a hushed one said behind the cloaked one.<br>"Hm hm" he only mumbled "Search for it" he ordered. It was true, time was not on their side. When this was the sealed room they searched for it was possible that because of its age, that the unsealing movement made it possible to crumble down. He was more than sure, that is was not his time to die. He had too many great plans and goals to achieve.  
>"HERE" a voiced shouted and a small light was moved back and forth. The sound of rushing feet was heard towards the moving light. And there, indeed was another gate. The rumoured gate he was searching for.<br>"OPEN" he ordered and the black golden doubled doors were slowly pushed open. A faint thick haze escaped and surrounded their feet. It felt ice cold. Yes indeed, they may really found what he was looking for. How many years had it been?

...

"Did you find something?" a male voiced asked behind her. Her head turned slightly.  
>"Yes" she chirped happily and her little basket was filled with the blue flower that was blooming around here. There were only some, they were rare and she had to research on them later. Who knows what these little blue flowers do in the medical world.<br>"I read about this one in my books, however not every year they bloom so it would be a waste not to take as many as we can. However we have to share with the Suna" and put another blue flower in the basket. It was wonderful flower in her eyes. So many antidotes she would be able to mix with it and she would love to experiment with them. However for this she does need more of them.  
>"I have to ask Gaara-san to dig out some roots, and take care of it in the greenhouse. I do believe having these will come in handy one day"<br>"A good idea" and some rustling was heard. Shikamaru made himself comfy. Laying down on the thick layer of grass. His arms behind his head looking up the blue sky. How strange it was, the winter in Suna. Snow would fall in Konoha and in Suna was spring? He will never understand the natural circle of a desert and he was known to be smart.  
>"It's a beautiful day" Sakura said to him and he hummed his yes.<br>"We should go before the sun sets" he announced with a big yawn.  
>"I have to attend the dinner with you..." his voice showing how annoyed he was about that. However the Hokage of Konoha was present, meaning the Konoha ambassador needs to be present too and the one who will take care of some medical training to ensure health safety, meaning Sakura. They were both needed and invited.<br>"Yeah the dinner" she sighed. She was afraid that her bladder let her run every five minutes to the toilet or that she would be uncomfortable since the date of birth were days ago.  
>For now it seems she has some days left, she checked herself regular. Otherwise Shikamaru would never take her out of the Village to search for herbs, flowers and roots for her medical interest.<br>He still was not happy about it, however he was able to tell if she was telling a lie or not to him. Something he caught up very quickly.  
>Her humming stopped, he did not know when she started humming however it made him terrible sleepy.<br>"I am ready here" she said to him, letting her shadow fall over his lazy frame. She had wandered back and forth never to far away from him and picked some flowers and searched for something else.  
>"Ok" he said, not opening his eyes. He was dozing off and sat up slowly, rubbing his neck a bit.<br>"Stiff again?" she asked and grouched down a bit, trying not to fall over with her extra weight.  
>"A bit" and he felt the soothing warm in his neck.<br>"Nice" he said, like every time she did it and she smiled.  
>"Isn´t it?" she asked back and he smiled too. He offered a hand and she took it. She sighed, rubbed her back a bit with her free hand, she felt the questioning look on her already.<br>"Still no sign of contractions" she assured him.  
>"Are you sure?" he asked concerned.<br>"Yes..." she sighed.

...

He pushed the torch to someone when he stopped in front of a stone table. On the table was a thick book. The red leather looked dry, old and battered. Slowly his hands reached out in the surreal surroundings. He stopped for a moment, shortly before he touched the book. The ice cold feeling never left, the tips of his fingers feel like frozen. Quickly a snake rushed out of his cloak, grabbing a man behind him. In a flash he was on the table, the Ninja struggled and questioning what was going on. However he never got an answer when his throat was slit and the blood gushed out.  
>The others behind know better as to disobey him and a slurping sound reached their ears.<br>"What the-" someone said and the cloaked one grinned. Really, what the hell was that?  
>"You are hungry, aren't you?" he asked, but actually who did he asked? They were alone in here, weren't they?<br>"How about I will fed you more when we get out of here? You will not be satisfied with only one or even all us, won't you?" and all the blood on the table was simply gone, as it never was there in the first place. Where had it gone?  
>The once ragged and battered leather looked refreshed, more red, blood red.<br>"So how about it?" he asked again and one letter after another started to show on the cover of the book  
>"Book of the Dead" it said and a wicked laughter roared through the room.<p>

...

Like she had feared, her bladder was her enemy today and all the political talk give her a headache.  
>"Where is the Suna Ambassador?" the council of Water asked. It was a New Years head meeting including the Ambassadors of the countries attending. The Hokage of Konoha was attending too, not paying Sakura any attention. If it was not for business, it was like that every time too. The honey blond Hokage was already nursing Sake with a scolding Shizune not that far away.<br>She did not liked the situation. However Shikamaru was the Ambassador for Konoha towards Suna. He had to attend too. He wanted to decline with the mess he and Sakura had in Konoha. However Sakura said, he was not able to decline and now she was sitting with him there.

_"You wretched bitch" it was raining hard in the middle of the warm season. It was pretty normal. However the words were not. Sakura was quick enough to escape the kick and punch from Ino. The girl she thought she was friends with again?_

_"Ino?" and the cracks in the wall let her frown. What was with that woman?_

_"You little..." Sakura moved aside, trying to get a hold on the blonde woman. However Ino swirled around, her skin was slippery and Sakura had a hard time to get a grip on her._

_"Ino stop" she said over and over again. Ino chanted curses towards her._

_"Really Ino?" and all of a sudden only crying was heard with the sound of falling rain._

_"Why?" she asked crying and Sakura hold only her arm in her hand while Ino was sitting on the muddy street._

_"Why? Why? Why?" she never knew what happened or why Ino was asking her. Maybe one day, she will tell her what happened._

"I have to excuse my sister" Gaara said, to his left sat instead of his only sister his brother.  
>"She gave birth to her child some days ago and need to rest"<br>"Oh!" the audience said at the same time  
>"Congratulations for the new member of your family"<p>

"Cheeeerrrssss!"  
><em>They were in the office when the door flew open and a slightly annoyed Temari made her entrance. Her brother let everything he was holding fall down, making Gaara paying more attention to the fact that Temari was back. Not that he had not known. <em>

_"Good to see y-" he stopped midsentence. "Why are you so swollen?" he questioned and asked already for a doctor. _

_"I am alright" Temari said "I am only pregnant?" she told loudly and marched towards Sakura and Shikamaru.  
>She just came back from the secluded training with her group and was standing in front of them heavy pregnant like Sakura herself. Somehow she seemed on the edge of crying but did not. Gaara turned speechless for some time and heavy silence was over them. Sakura wanted to leave them alone, it was not the right to be there when the family need to talks. Shikamaru got her meaning. He offered his arm to her and she gladly took it in silence.<br>"Where are you going?" Temari asked somehow horrified and Shikamaru tried not to raise a brow and opened his mouth to say something. Gaara was quicker.  
>"Shikamaru-san would you mind escort you wife to Yuri-san?" it was the polite way of asking to get out.<br>"Yes Gaara-san" and some steps towards him was made. Gaara stooped the out of nowhere frantic woman.  
>"What..." she piped out.<br>"Please go" and Shikamaru and Sakura were nearly out of the room when a shriek was heard.  
>"Temari?" Gaara asked when a plash of water hitting the floor was heard..<br>"Temari?" he asked when already a scream followed.  
>"Her water broke" Sakura simply said. Still no reaction from anybody, only the sound of a huffing. "The baby is about to be born" she helped him out and she sure it was the first time he saw Gaara flipped. After Temari screamed loud and many different bad words the first cry of her baby made her stop all of a sudden and she cried a river with the small being in her arms. Yeah, the new addition of the Hokage family was born in the office in the middle of Gaaras paperwork.<br>_"Thank you it is a healthy boy" a flash of a proud smile went over the face of the Hokage.  
>"Take care that he won't outwit you in a flash"<br>"The young ones are indeed quick in that" and the company laughed heartily.  
>Shikamaru was talking with an older man named Nakamura-san and was quiet into it, Sakura herself sat on a big cushion. Gaara himself helped her to sit on it, to make sure that his pregnant guest is comfortable. She felt a bit embarrassed when he even purred her some tea. Now she was able to lean back a bit, rubbing here and then over her big belly, god she felt like a big balloon ready to burst any moment. Nevertheless the other party member of her pregnancy was not ready to move out... and sighed a bit. She was already a bit overdue. Her due date was right after Christmas. It was a bit unusual that she had not given birth yet, till now everything is fine. She checked herself and the medics in the hospital too. Everything was alright. It just seems it just took a bit more time for her to giving birth. When the contractions won't start from alone in two days, she will force herself to start the contractions. It was not like she wants to rush, but it was getting really cramped in her belly and honestly, she was more than ready not be pregnant anymore. Her feet and legs hurt day by day like hell. Her back was killing her and she was upset for no reasons at anything around her. It makes her go crazy, really she was more than ready and shifted a bit on her cushion.<br>She let her eyes roam through the room, she did that once after a while and caught the look of Tsunade towards her. Quickly she looked down and then away when Shikamaru asked her something. She smiled and nodded, the male turned around once again and Sakura caught the words like "I really like you to have with me" and "I do not want you to be my enemies strategist" and many more of them. She herself felt out of place. She was the only pregnant woman there and her aching back was bothering her too.  
>Tsunade made a slight rumbling sound.<br>"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked and caught the woman looking at her pink haired one. Shizune asked nothing afterwards.  
>Sakura scoffed a bit. Her hand soothed with a bit of healing chakra the abused part of her belly. She was shifting a bit more, the pressure in her back and stomach grew slightly. Was it a sign of contractions? It was not hurting much, it was only uncomfortable for now and her water did not broke yet. She has to wait and see.<br>"Are you alright?" his soft voice reached her ears. Her eyes looked in his, concern wrote all over him when his eyes looked deep in hers. These are the moments she was so aware he was man.  
>"I am" she smiled, rubbing the sore spot on her belly. "It was a good kick" she only said.<br>"Will be a fighter" Nakamura-san laughed and hold his sake cup in the air.  
>"Yes, I suppose so" she smiled. Shikamarus hand reached out, touching he big middle. He felt the soft movement under his hand.<br>"Restless" he said and touched her hand for a moment. "Are you really fine?" he asked her once again.  
>"I am fine" she smiled. These moments were precious to her and she thinks it was the same for him too. The felling of happiness of being just to be. It was hard to describe. He turned his head around again, never taking his hand back. Another waive rolled through her. Ok, maybe she was not that fine. It seems that maybe, just maybe that the start of her contractions?<br>She was not able to see, that towards Sakura the ever angry Tsunades eyes softened for a bit, however only a moment and only a tiny bit before she sipped another cup of sake empty. She did not want to give away, she was not able to hate Sakura as she wished she would be able to because of Naruto. Her attachment to the pink haired one was bigger than she admits and so the evening went on, it was nearly time for the big night event. And everybody slowly stepped out of the roof terrace.  
>The streets were full of people, the laughing and chatting came from everywhere. The big countdown in a choir.<br>"TEN!"  
>"NINE!"<br>"EIGHT!"  
>"SEVEN!"<br>"SIX!"  
>"FIVE!"<br>"FOUR!"  
>"THREE!"<br>"TWO!"  
>"ONEEEEE!" the crowd cheered.<br>"**BOOOOM**" The firework illuminated the sky, the cheers roared through the Village.  
>"<strong>BOOOOM<strong>" red and green was seen. It was beautiful, when the next **BOOOOOOOOM** let the floor vibrate, and a smokescreen let her cough.  
>Screams.<br>More screaming.  
>A chill ran down her spine when Shikamarus hand already grabbed her upper arm harder as she or he liked and pulled her to the side. A black dressed man flew by. Red clouds on the cloak. Her eyes wide. The sound of Kunais clutching at each other around her in the limited field of view. The Akatsuki were defeated? Weren't they? Why then, how? Shikamarus hand left her arm, his pose protective before her. His Kunai holding able to deflect the incoming Ninja. A Kunai snipped her left shoulder, a new Ninja from somewhere. A small "<em>aaahhh<em>" escaped her. She stumbled forwards, catching herself. A sand ball flying passed her, sending another Ninja flying. More screams from the somewhere. Suna Anbus came out of nowhere. Kunais rained down. Screams and shouts.  
>What in the world... an attack? Right know and she was a helpless pregnant woman with slow movements. Out of instinct she moved to the side, her hand punched who ever was there. A grunt, blood out of the mouth of the attacker. A quick step, a deep breath.<br>"Get a grip" she told herself. There was an attack and she in the middle of it. Shikamaru was not seen anymore. It was hard to see anything in the damned smokescreen anyway. However surviving was the only think important to her, she had something to protect. No matter what. Another quake from an explosion somewhere. She whirled around, her head dizzy from the sudden movement, her balance slightly off with her big belly. However she escaped a falling rock from the tower behind her. Her name was screamed from somewhere. The only thing she saw was a shadow. A voice behind her and then something cold.  
>"Sakura?" her name again from somewhere. She was not able to answer, when the warm liquid filled her mouth.<br>"SAKURA?" it was the voice of her once Master from the left. Her hands touched the cold metal, warm blood. It stained her hands. A rough movement followed. The Katana left her body. Where was Tsunade again? Or Shikamaru? She heard them from somewhere, but where? Her knees give in, her hand pushing on her wound the blood dripped down.  
>"Die" a voice said, most likely the one who had pushed the Katana into her. She looked up, her attacker was nearly not seen in the smokescreen. It was more like a shadow, nothing more. She was not even to see the one who will end her live? How ironic.<br>It was a clean cut.  
>From right to left, the head fell down and rolled away not seen to where. The blood rained down and the body fell limp to the side. A Katana swung the blood off.<br>She looked from the fallen body to her rescuer. Was it for sure that she was still alive? She needs aid, medical aid - right away.  
>"Sakura" another cold shill ran down her spine. Her eyes moved and locked with scarlet red ones. She know that voice. She had dreamed of that voice in many crazy horrible dreams. In which he dies, in ones where she dies in other where her beloved ones die by his hand. The voice which would take everything from her. Killing her beloved, her village and her. How ironic, saved from 'him' only to be killed by him anyway. To her surprise he kneeled down. His eyes moving around, searching for what is near. Before he stared at her, or better her big belly. For a moment he looked like he regret something. Her hand pressed harder on her wound. She needed to make a sound. She needed help. Right now!<br>"..." he said nothing and looked for a moment again in her wide green eyes. The fear obvious to him, how could she not feeling fear in such a moment.  
>"Survive" he only said low and was gone to somewhere.<br>"..." her mouth moved, no sounds. The blood dripped down her lips on her beautiful Kimono.  
>"...help..." this time her voice came out in a feeble tune.<br>"HE... LP" she said "**HEEELLLP**" again and again "Pleahh... se help... _Naru..to_..."

...

He was low on cash again. Some minor works was something he was able to get in every Village, bigger ones in the Towns. The black boards in the towns were the best in his opinion, there was everything he could possibly think off.  
>This time it was about carrying rice sacks for a shop to some customers around the whole town. An easy task, however doing it all day was a bit tiring and stretched his arms high in the sky.<br>The last minutes of the year started. Naruto sat on the highest tower in the city, trying to see something he wanted to see. He was only not sure what he wanted to see. The people down in the streets, laughing and making a party for the arrival of the new year. He felt not like attending the colourful mass down there since an uneasy feeling was with him the whole day. Something making him jumpy to everything the whole day. Letting him feel like he was not in the right place, that he should be somewhere else.  
>He sighed, like so many other times that day and just looked around. Hoping his uneasiness would just go away, which was not<br>"Hmmm?" he hummed out when the first firework went off in the sky. It was a green one. Another one followed. Red, blue, violet and gold.  
>"The new year" he said to himself watching the colourful fireworks in the sky and hearing the cheers from down under.<br>"A new start" and rubbed his neck. Then again, why did he think that he was not in the right place at the very moment?

...

Temari was quick on her feet, when the sounds of the exploding shook the village. Her naked feet lead her through the corridors in the nursery of the hospital. The crying from the children reached her ears before she even was around the corner. The door flew open and she scooped within a second a small being, wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms. Her heart was running a mile a second.  
>"Shh shh" she hushed. However she knew the small boy won´t stop crying. Since she was herself in inner tumult. The Ninja in her said -grab your stuff and fight- whoever it may be. However being now a mother, her thoughts just won´t work that way anymore.<br>Her legs were still to weak to run around, how die she manage to run like that to her child anyway? Who cares and rocked her child back and forth. The labour made her wimpy and tried to find a good solution in her head. She never thought she would be mother at all and her brother snickers at her how girly she was able to be. However she wished now that one of them would be here right now and help her to think of something at all.  
>The room was filled within seconds or minutes, the fresh baked mothers holding their children.<br>"And now?" one cried. Yes that was the question.  
>"Follow me" she had decided to do her duty, bringing the people to a safe place with her child.<p>

...

Sasuke frowned, very unlike him. It was not he was ordered to be here, it happened that he came across with one of his people and so he moved. Not to take action, only to watch. Who have thought that he will rescue someone and will running like the wind to hide from the Anbu fleet behind him? That was for sure so not his plan...

...

Shikamaru was running. Running like crazy. No medical ninja was there to have a helping hand for the woman in his arms. The only option, bring her to the hospital and push his way through, not matter what and pushed the doors open. The staff was running around, shouts and scream. Tears and blood everywhere.  
>"Come" and he simply followed, not reacting to the fact that it was Tsunade. She had blood on her clothes, she had given aid to someone or for sure more than one. The gurgling sound was heard, blood escaped the pale lips again. The green eyes only half open.<br>"Sakura can you hear me?" she said nothing, only a soft movement from her fingers.  
>"You will be okay, you hear me - do not worry" however, everybody in the room knows better than that.<br>"Get out" Tsunade ordered, already tearing the cloth of the tiny Kunoichi apart to get a better look. A man, whoever it was, pushed him through the door. The sound of the door shutting, was loud. Like a thunder roar deep in a silent night.  
>Shizune shrieked by the seriousness of the wound.<br>"Get a grip" she was barked at. It was her luck that Shizune came with her. It was her luck she did not drunk that much as she wanted to and barked orders to all the helpers and the Suna doctor with her. Tsunades cloth were stained blood, so much blood. She hated to see so much blood. Sakura was getting weaker and weaker and the bit of first aid on the wound, won´t let her be alive much longer. They need to push the childbirth to its end. There was no other way. The other doctor pushed the belly slowly down, and the noise of fluids hitting the floor was heard. Letting everybody wince somewhat. She wished she was able to rescue everybody she was tending, however today was a day she was aware... it was not always possible. Within moments Tsunade pushed a baby towards Shizune. She had run with the child in her arms to another room, not knowing if the child was okay or not. She had not time for it, not yet and a sad sob escaped her when she hold onto the baby. No time to spare, she let the others do and pushed her hand into the bleeding woman. Franticly pushing chakra into the now so fragile body, the non stop bleeding body.. Tissue for tissue, layer and more layers she healed. Another blood transfusion found its way into her and an assistant wiped the sweat from her forehead. The heart was struggling to beat, that she will stay alive. She was weak and so was her heartbeat. Slower and slower.  
>"God no..." she said and the tribal of her tattoo was seen...<p>

...

Gaara stood there. Looking down at the destruction. Over half the Village was in rubbles. Nothing more like a big pile of sand and stone.  
>Within a second the Village had changed. It only took some bombs to bring down half the Village. In took only some mere moments to kill some of the happy partying people. It took only Minutes to chase the enemy to just vanishing into thin air, not knowing where they came from or had gone to.<br>Just mere minutes to changes so many things. He rubbed his face. He was not known to show defeat or be emotional at all. However, the heavy feeling in his chest was burdening. He felt so heavy. So heavy...

...

Shikamaru stood just there, staring blank at the closed doors. Was it seconds, minutes or hours? He had no idea anymore. He was not even able to register that Temari was gripping his arm hard, shaking him back and forth saying something which did not reach his ears. After she had made sure her brother had not even a scratch she was asked to look how the Konoha people were doing. She had left her son with her brother, the tiny one who was from all the frightening excitement tired and was sleeping now.  
>"Are you ok?" she asked again and again, and now she got a something like a 'hm'.<br>"Are you hurt, are you bleeding?" she asked about five times.  
>"Sakuras..." he only said after a while, simply staring at the door in front of him. Her grip left his arm. Sakuras he says? What about...?<br>"What about your baby?"  
>"..." silence was his answer. Just silence and her hand shut her mouth that she won´t let a sob escape her lips. That was not fair. So not fair.<p>

...

"What are you doing here alone?" his head turned a bit surprised. He was that engrossed with the party people down there, he did not take note that someone was near.  
>"Nothing much?" he asked back, taking his eyes from her back to the crowd.<br>"Nothing much, hm?" she asked and sat down next to him.  
>"Yeah nothing much" he repeated They sat in silence for a while. Listening to the crowds noise.<br>" Kobayashi " she said after a while. " Kobayashi Usagi"  
>"Uzumaki" he breathed out "Uzumaki Naruto"<br>"Nice to meet you Uzumaki Naruto-kun" she smiled at him. His head turned slightly, catching her big bright smile. She had reddish eyes with green hair and tanned skin.  
>"Same for me" he only said not taking his eyes from her.<p>

...

The heart monitor was peeing. The thick breathing hose of the lung ventilator pushed air in the beaten and battered woman. Her skin paler as he was used to. Her lips pale with a hint to the blue and violet. The IV dripping some meds into her, another one some extra blood. A small hose was seen at the side, dripping some blood away. It was from the wound. The wound liquid.  
>He had not known, that a person was able to look so dead while being alive.<br>He had not known, that a person was able to hold onto life while being that beaten.  
>He know the will to survive. He was a ninja after all. Surviving, the will and the power to go on. It was something they all had. However being that strong while being unconscious is new. Simply new. However still... why her? Why him? Why this?<br>She had done nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. Shikamaru just sat there, holding the hand. His eyes trying not to see tubes and IVs, nor let the cold win over her hand. Rubbing it softly. Telling her to stay strong, to live, not to give up and that everything will be alright.

However it was not alright, he was lying. He hated lying. She was so weak right now. However he was only able to say his lines over and over again.

Slowly he got up from he seat to her right. The chair he was sitting in since 4 days. His hand touched her cheek, his thumb moving a bit.  
>"I will come back later" he said only above a whisper and left her side. The door closed silently and his feet moved him slowly away from the room 205. He knows his way without even looking and knocked softly at the nursery room.<br>"Hey" again only a soft whisper. He greeted with a small nod. The sound of rustling clothes and slow movements when she puts the baby she just had feed into a crib.  
>A small being like her son, no this one was smaller as her son. She made sure the blanket was good wrapped around the tiny one, the still nameless child, waiting for his mother to wake up and take him in her arms. To her left was her son sleeping, waiting for her to take him and go home. She will, in a little while.<br>A small smile graced her face, seeing her son fast asleep in the peaceful world of dreams. How happy she was that children have time until they have to face some harsh reality of life.  
>"He will be hungry in the morning again" she said to the sad looking male. "If he wakes up, some tee will do" and stood up.<br>"Thank you" he said like the other days. It was all he was able to do. Thanking for feeding the child, thanking for having Sakura somehow still alive.  
>"No problem" she said and watched him looking at the small being sleeping. He was tired and afraid.<p>

Small drops falling on the blue blanket which was wrapped around the small body.

"God please" he only said, touching with his finger the small cheek of the little being. Feeling the warmth his mother do not have at the moment.

"God please..." he said again to the silent sleeping child, begging that his mother will make it.  
>"He is alright" she assured him. Not knowing what else to say to a crying man and patted the back a bit. She did not know why, however she offered to fed the child alongside with Takeo. Her chest was big and swollen, producing more than enough for two children at the moment. It was at least something she was able to do for him, her. The first mother milk was the most important for a child's life. Sakura pumped with drugs, not conscious and her body not in mother mode was not able to give it to her child. At least breast milk at all should be provided, however many mothers won't share. It was still unknown if the woman will ever wake up, the next days will tell them. If she won´t wake up after the week had gone by, she may never wake up again...<p> 


End file.
